NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast City Airport

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with Mr Willie Walsh about British Airways's (a) commitment to and (b) expansion at Belfast city airport; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: I have had no recent discussions with Mr Walsh on expanding BA operations at Belfast city airport but my officials keep in touch with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Departments concerning air routes from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
	I understand that the British Airways flight to London is commercially successful and well used by the public—indeed passenger numbers on both Belfast City to Heathrow routes rose by 12% in 2012 compared to 2011.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which buildings occupied by her Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Theresa Villiers: My Department does not occupy any building that is owned or part-owned privately and does not, therefore, pay rent to private landlords.

Co-operative Bank

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she or Ministers in her Department have discussed banking issues with the Co-operative Bank since 2010.

Theresa Villiers: There have been no further discussions since those in 2010.

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect on registration levels of attainers in Northern Ireland of the introduction of individual voter registration.

Theresa Villiers: The registration of attainers fell following the introduction of individual voter registration in Northern Ireland. In its 2003 report on the impact of the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, the Electoral Commission commented that attainers appeared to be significantly under-represented on the register, with fewer than 25% of 17 and 18-year-olds registered to vote.
	Registration of attainers improved significantly with the introduction of a schools programme. The Electoral Commission's 2012 report on continuous electoral registration in Northern Ireland estimated that 66% of attainers were registered, in comparison with 55% in Great Britain.

Flood Control

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources from her Department were used or made available during the recent flood precautionary measures in Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: The civil contingency policy branch within the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister has responsibility for these matters in Northern Ireland. There are established procedures for liaising with the Civil Contingencies Secretariat within the Cabinet Office.
	My officials spoke to their counterparts in OFMDFM at regular intervals during the period of severe weather and were advised that the Northern Ireland Executive had the resources that they required to deal with the impact of the adverse conditions.

Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the setting up of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry; and what funding her Department has allocated to assist the work of that inquiry.

Theresa Villiers: I have not had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the setting up of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry. Funding of the inquiry is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Immigration

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with Secretary of State for the Home Department about immigration into Northern Ireland and overall levels of migration.

Theresa Villiers: I have had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on these matters, nor have I received any representations from hon. and right hon. Members or MLAs to do so.

Northern Ireland Government

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the US Administration since the ending of the Haass talks in Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: The Government have maintained contact with the US Administration about the outcome of the Haass process, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed these matters with the President by telephone. I have met the US ambassador and consul general to discuss the Haass process.

Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland since her appointment; and what assessment she has made of the work of that service.

Theresa Villiers: Justice matters in Northern Ireland are devolved. I have not met the Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland, though I recognise the important role that the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland plays as part of the wider delivery of justice to the community.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in her Department in each of the last three years.

Theresa Villiers: No one, either under or over 16, has undertaken work experience in my Department in the last three years.

PRIME MINISTER

Councillors: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what resources of his Office were used to invite Conservative councillors to a meeting in Beckingham on 13 January 2014;
	(2)  in what capacity he met local Conservative councillors in Beckingham on 13 January 2014; and on how many occasions in 2013 he met Conservative councillors without inviting the hon. Member or councillors for the area in which the meeting took place.

David Cameron: The staffing costs for my political office are a matter for the Conservative party. I informed the hon. Member's office of my visit on 10 January 2014. I enjoyed discussing the merits of shale gas with the hon. Member on the visit.

India

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence dated 3 February 1984 from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the then Prime Minister proposing a response to the Indian Government's request for advice on their plans for the Golden Temple; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects the review into the events in Amritsar in 1984 to be completed; if he will publish all withheld files on the matter that were not placed in the National Archives under the 30-year rule; and if copies of that review will be placed in the Library;
	(3)  if the review into events in Amritsar in 1984 will examine the role played by Gary Sazena and R.N. Kao of the research and analysis wing of the Indian secret service; whether each such man visited the UK at any time; whether each such man received training in the UK; and what the nature was of intelligence provided to those individuals from the Government.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him and the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden), on 15 January 2014, Official Report, columns 849-850.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Attorney-General which buildings occupied by the Law Officers' Departments are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Oliver Heald: The Treasury Solicitor's Department and Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate are located at One Kemble Street (OKS) London, WC2B 4TS and Southern House (CSH) Wellesley Grove, Croydon, Surrey, CRO 7HJ. These buildings are owned privately and both buildings are used for official duties. The total value of the rent paid per annum for OKS and CSH is £3,622,271.43 (inclusive of non-refundable VAT).
	For OKS the rent is paid to the landlord, the Civil Aviation Authority. For Southern House the rent is paid to the landlord, London and Continental Railways.
	The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is a tenant in 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5BS. The building is owned by the Crown Estate. The Canadian high commission has a 101-year lease from the Crown Estate for the building. The SFO makes rental payments to the Canadian high commission for the space it occupies in the building. The value of rent payments by the SFO in 2013-14 is £1,486,444.00 (exclusive of VAT).
	The Attorney-General's Office (AGO) at 20 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0NF is privately owned and the AGO pays a total rent of £462,820.00 (exclusive of VAT) per annum to R&K LLC.
	Of the Crown Prosecution Service's property holdings, it currently occupies 35 buildings which are privately owned at a total annual rental of £13,473,632.77 (excluding VAT). A list of the 35 buildings together with details of rent paid annually and to whom, has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Attorney-General how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in the Law Officers' Departments in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The number of people over 16 years old who have undertaken work experience with The Law Officers' Departments in each of the last three years is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of people over 16 years old undertaking work experience 
			 Department 2011 2012 2013 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 174 77 114 
			 Serious Fraud Office 1 1 - 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol)1 - 15 29 
			 1 TSol data also covers the Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. 
		
	
	In 2011 one individual aged 16 years or under undertook work experience in TSol.
	The Crown Prosecution Service fully supports work experience placements for people aged 16 and under. These are arranged locally and no central record is held of those who have participated.
	The SFO has also provided short unpaid work experience opportunities for example to year 10 pupils, however there is no record of how many such opportunities have been provided.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Regulation

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how he intends to implement those recommendations of the MacDonald report concerned with earned recognition.

George Eustice: DEFRA published a detailed plan of the opportunities for implementing earned recognition into inspection regimes in August 2013. The earned recognition plan sets out what actions DEFRA is taking to implement an earned recognition approach into on-farm inspection regimes.
	The plan highlights that 14 out of 31 on-farm inspection regimes already give farmers and food processors the opportunity to earn recognition. As a result farmers who play by the rules are receiving fewer inspections. For example, 740 members of the Environment Agency's pig and poultry scheme are inspected once every three years rather than annually, and as of this month, our piloting of earned recognition in egg marketing inspections will reduce routine inspection visits to medium and large producers from two to three inspections per year to around one inspection per year.
	We remain committed to exploring new opportunities for applying an earned recognition approach.

Agriculture: Regulation

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how his Department plans to measure any benefits to farmers arising from implementation of the recommendations of the Macdonald taskforce on farming regulation;
	(2)  how his Department will measure benefits to farmers from the implementation of the recommendations of the MacDonald taskforce.

George Eustice: The farming regulation task force implementation group, chaired by Richard Macdonald, was appointed in February 2012 to hold to account, and ensure transparency in, the work of Government to meet the 137 commitments made in response to the farming regulation task force report.
	The implementation group will step down in March 2014 when a final assessment of DEFRA's progress against task force commitments will be published.
	This independent assessment will set out what impacts DEFRA's actions to reduce unnecessary burden will have on the ground, and how these changes will directly benefit farmers.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, columns 470-1W, on bovine tuberculosis, what steps he is taking to ensure the independence of the assessment of the effectiveness of the trials.

George Eustice: The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) was appointed to work independently and will prepare its own report based on its members' consideration of the results of the monitoring. Panel members are drafting their report, conclusions and recommendations themselves. DEFRA has only been involved with the logistics of the panel's meetings on request, and in commissioning any further analysis or data that the panel has requested in order to fulfil its terms of reference.
	Furthermore, before being submitted to the IEP, all the data collection and statistical analyses were subjected to scrutiny by independent auditors.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Dan Rogerson: The requested data are set out in two documents which will be placed in the Library of the House.
	The aggregate total of annual rents payable for each of the leasehold sites listed in the documents on the Core DEFRA estate as at 16 January 2014 is £16,464,573.59

Common Agricultural Policy

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much and what proportion of common agricultural policy pillar 2 funding he plans to allocate to (a) fostering knowledge transfer and innovation, (b) enhancing competitiveness, productivity and farm viability, (c) promoting food chain organisation and risk management, (d) restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems, (e) promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and (f) promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas in each year to 2017-18.

George Eustice: The budget available for rural development in England over the next CAP period to 2020 will be at least £3.5 billion. Over £3 billion (87%) will be spent on improving the environment. Around £450 million (13%) will be spent on growth-focused schemes. Of this, £177 million (5%) has been allocated to local enterprise partnership areas via the growth programme for rural growth projects; £140 million (4%) will be targeted at farming and forestry competitiveness and £140 million (4%) will be spent through LEADER on local projects with a strong focus on jobs and growth. The detailed rural development programme that we submit to the European Commission later in the year will set out how the funding will be broken down between priorities and years in more detail.

Flood Control

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support his Department gives to farmers to plant trees on high lands as a means of counteracting flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: holding answer 20 January 2014
	DEFRA flood management grants are available for work that reduces flood risk and demonstrates value for money. Work could cover planting trees. Payments are assessed in relation to the value of economic flood damages avoided and the reduced risk to households.
	Further grants may also be available under the rural development programme later in 2014 for woodland planting generally, if this is needed to deliver a level of funded planting in 2014-15 in line with the overall annual rate under the existing programme.
	DEFRA has announced that 2,000 hectares of new woodland will be created through the planting of 4 million trees as part of a £30 million Government investment in woodland through the rural development programme in 2014-15. The investment in new planting will amount to £6 million.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much of the additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England in 2013-14 and 2014-15 has been allocated to the (a) Lower Don Valley in Sheffield, (b) Ipswich tidal barrier, (c) Derby riverside area and (d) Exeter flood defence schemes; and what stage of construction each such scheme has reached;
	(2)  how much of the additional £120 million allocated in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England in 2013-14 and 2014-15 that has been allocated to the (a) Lower Don Valley in Sheffield, (b) Ipswich tidal barrier, (c) Derby riverside area and (d) Exeter flood defence schemes will come (i) from departmental revenue and capital expenditure and (ii) through a standard partnership funding framework.

Dan Rogerson: The 2012 autumn statement provided an additional £120 million capital funding, as DEFRA grant in aid to the Environment Agency for flood protection in England in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Environment Agency has allocated some of this money under the normal methodology for allocating grant in aid, and some of this money to schemes which make a particular contribution towards economic growth.
	In total £30.8 million of this additional £120 million has been allocated to the (a) Lower Don Valley in Sheffield, (b) Ipswich tidal barrier, (c) Derby riverside area and (d) Exeter flood defence schemes as detailed in the following table, which also identifies what stage of construction each such scheme has reached.
	
		
			  2013-14 2014-15  
			  Growth (£) Standard DEFRA GiA (£) Growth (£) Standard DEFRA GiA (£) Current status 
			 Ipswich Tidal Barrier 6.3 — 6.1 — In construction 
			 Exeter 1.1 — 2.9 — In development 
			 Derby Lower Derwent 1.0 0.5 4.8 0.5 In development 
			 Sheffield Lower Don 3.4 0.1 3.0 1.0 In development 
		
	
	As set out in the table above, £2.1 million of the £30.8 million for these four schemes was allocated through the usual partnership funding methodology for the allocation of DEFRA grant in aid.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the £148 million proposed to be secured from external non-governmental funding for anti-flooding measures in 2011-12 to 2014-15 is proposed to be generated by (a) income, (b) income committed from each source and (c) allocated to each flood protection scheme.

Dan Rogerson: There are many different contributors to the flood and coastal erosion risk management projects. Of the 507 schemes running in 2013-14, 143 have agreed external contributions through partnership funding approach, in addition to DEFRA's grant in aid. Funding arrangements differ from project to project, and in cases where private contributions are involved, may be confidential. The Environment Agency will publish an updated programme on its website in February. Every scheme planned in the next few years will be listed along with indicative contributions from external partners.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding for flood protection had been raised through a standard partnership funding framework on 31 December 2013.

Dan Rogerson: In addition to DEFRA grant in aid, the Environment Agency estimates that a total of £67.6 million has been raised through funding from external contributions from April 2011 up to 31 December 2013 for flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding for flood protection is planned to be raised through a standard partnership funding framework in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

Dan Rogerson: In addition to DEFRA grant in aid, the Environment Agency anticipates that external contributions through the partnership funding approach to the construction of flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes will reach £58.4 million in 2013-14, £61 million in 2014-15 and are so far planned to exceed £39 million in 2015-16.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 50 flood defence schemes have been prioritised by the Environment Agency; how much has been allocated to each scheme; and what the construction status is of each such scheme.

Dan Rogerson: The additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, allowed the Environment Agency to promote nine projects to reduce flood risk specifically to facilitate growth and to accelerate the delivery of a further 33 projects to reduce the risk of flooding. I have placed a table in the Library of the House which shows the schemes, the funding allocated to each of them and their current construction status.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much of the additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England for (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 had been secured through a standard partnership funding framework on 31 December 2013;
	(2)  how much of the additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England for 2013-14 and 2014-15 is intended to be secured through a standard partnership funding framework.

Dan Rogerson: The additional £120 million capital provided in autumn statement 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, enabled the Environment Agency to promote nine projects to reduce flood risk specifically to facilitate growth and to accelerate the delivery of a further 33 projects to reduce the risk of flooding. Part of this £120 million was allocated to the nine growth projects under a specific methodology designed for this purpose. The remainder of the £120 million was allocated to the 33 accelerated projects, under the usual partnership funding methodology. In addition, all these 42 projects were also eligible for, and received, further DEFRA grant-in-aid funding in line with the usual partnership funding methodology.
	In terms of the funding allocated under the usual partnership funding methodology to the 33 accelerated projects, £8.9 million was allocated in 2013-14 before 31 December 2013. An indicative allocation of £107.9 million has been made under the same approach for 2014-15 as detailed in a table I have placed in the Library of the House. Final allocations for 2014-15 will be confirmed by the Environment Agency in February. As set out above, these figures include that part of the additional £120 million which was allocated to these projects.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England for (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 has been allocated to a specific flood defence scheme to date.

Dan Rogerson: Some £29.8 million of the £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England was allocated to schemes to date in 2013-14. The remaining funding for 2014-15 will be allocated by the Environment Agency board on 6 February 2014.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which projects and schemes have (a) been allocated and (b) received how much funding from the additional £120 million provided in autumn statement 2012 for flood protection in England in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Dan Rogerson: The additional £120 million capital funding provided in autumn statement 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, allowed the Environment Agency to promote nine projects to reduce flood risk specifically to facilitate growth and to accelerate the delivery of a further 33 projects to reduce the risk of flooding. I have placed a table in the Library of the House detailing the allocations for 2013-14 and indicative allocations for 2014-15. The 33 accelerated projects had already been allocated a portion of DEFRA flood defence grant-in-aid and would have been delivered in any case, but to a slower time scale. For this reason the total figures in the table add up to more than £120 million. The additional funding provided in the 2012 autumn statement means that these projects will be delivered more quickly than would otherwise be the case allowing other projects to come into the programme sooner in the future.

Flood Control

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spend on (a) maintaining existing flood defences and (b) new flood defences in each year between 2009-10 and 2013-14; and what his Department's (i) revenue, (ii) capital and (iii) total expenditure on flood protection is planned for each year to 2024-25.

Dan Rogerson: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Environment Agency revenue funding spent on maintaining flood defences 
			  £ million 
			 2009-10 163.0 
			 2010-11 172.1 
			 2011-12 155.8 
			 2012-13 169.5 
			 2013-141 146.7 
			 1 The 2013-14 figure is budget 
		
	
	Figures for DEFRA total spend on capital and revenue between 2009-10 and 2012-13 and budgets for 2013-14 and 2014-15 are published on line at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273582/flood-coastal-erosion-funding.pdf
	In those figures, capital expenditure includes spending on improving defences and major refurbishment as well as new defences, and plant and equipment related to managing flood and coastal erosion risks. No record is kept of the breakdown between capital invested in new defences and improving or replacing existing assets.
	The total revenue allocation to the Environment Agency after 2014-15 has not yet been set. However, I have indicated that the Environment Agency's budget for the maintenance of existing flood defences will increase by £5 million in 2015-16.
	DEFRA’s budgeted capital expenditure for flood and coastal erosion risk management for 2015-16 is £370 million, and then the same each year in real terms until and including 2020-21. Capital allocations for 2021-22 and after have not yet been decided.

Hill Farming

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to (a) maximise the biodiversity benefits of high nature value (HNV) farming; and what steps he is taking to ensure that HNV farming is effectively monitored.

George Eustice: As set out in the Government's response to the consultation on the implementation of CAP reform in England, published on 19 December, we are committed to looking at how the new Programme might address the environmental benefits that High Nature Value farming systems and High Nature farmland can provide. We will also be developing an indicator to be able to measure more fully the impact of the new Rural Development Programme on High Nature Value farmland.

Lions: West Africa

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following a recent report on the significant reduction in numbers of the West African lion in recent years, if she will take steps to assist in the prevention of the continuation of the significant decline.

George Eustice: The UK is concerned about the conservation of lions in the wild. We funded a conference in March 2012 in Johannesburg at which a number of lion range states considered the conservation needs and status of the African lion. The level of protection afforded to lions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is currently under review by the CITES Animals Committee, of which the UK is a member. In view of concerns raised that the imports of hunting trophies of African lions from some countries are unsustainable, we have agreed in principle with other EU member states that stricter measures should be introduced in relation to the importation of hunting trophies of lions and some other species.
	We will continue working with other CITES Parties and relevant non-Government organisations to ensure the long-term survival of this important species. In February, the Prime Minister will host a high level conference in London on the illegal wildlife trade to stimulate action to protect wildlife species, including lions, which are at threat from poaching and trafficking.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Dan Rogerson: The information required to answer this question is not held in a format that would enable it to be answered other than at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mike Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss the security of the Hazara community in Afghanistan and the effect on this community of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 2014 at the Foreign Affairs Council planned for 20 January 2014.

Hugh Robertson: We are working closely with the EU and its member states to ensure that the protection of human rights, including the rights of minorities such as the Hazara community, remains a top priority for the EU's future work in Afghanistan. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), used the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 20 January to reinforce this message and underlined the importance of human rights being reflected in any future EU strategy for Afghanistan.

Bahrain

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Bahrain.

Hugh Robertson: The most recent assessment of the human rights situation in Bahrain is in the FCO's update to its annual human rights report, published in September 2013. The report noted the positive steps taken by the Bahraini Government to improve the human rights situation and highlighted areas where more needed to be done.

British Overseas Territories

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will assist the Overseas Territories to set up public registers of beneficial company ownership.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	We are working closely with the Overseas Territories on beneficial ownership. They are each consulting, or preparing to consult, on whether to implement a publicly accessible central registry. We are engaging with the Territories throughout this process, and will continue to work with them as we implement our action plans and further develop policy.

Middle East

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in each of the last 12 months.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has made four representations to the Israeli Foreign Minister on this issue in the last 12 months.

Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each such contract following the contract award.

David Lidington: The 10 largest contracts let by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) since financial year 2010-11 are listed here. For reasons of commercial confidence we cannot supply exact contract values.
	£90-10 million
	Vodafone Cable and Wireless—ECHO telecommunications programme
	G4S—Afghanistan guarding
	£30-90 million
	Computacenter—Firecrest/Desktop Infrastructure contract
	Detica—Service Management Integrator Framework
	GardaWorld—Baghdad guarding
	ISS—Facilities Management
	Bouyeges—Abuja BHC construction
	£0-30 million
	G4S—UK Guarding
	GardaWorld—Libya guarding
	Capgemini—Prism
	GardaWorld—Libya guarding.
	Five of these contracts have only commenced in the past few months and so data are not yet available on actual spend profile or savings. Information regarding the remaining five contracts cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. Budget management of contracts is devolved to Departments rather than held centrally, and parties managing contracts are held to account for financial contract performance by relevant budgetary processes.
	Best procurement practice is followed in the letting of all contracts in accordance with guidelines set out by the Government Procurement Service. Steps to monitor the performance of these contracts are set out in the governance procedures of each contract which are determined on a case-by-case basis and must include regular gateway reviews and measurement against key performance indicators to ensure performance against contractual milestones and value for money.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Hugh Robertson: The number of people aged 16 and under who undertook work experience at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in each of the last three years is zero. The number of people over 16 years old who undertook work experience at the FCO in each of the last three years is:
	2011: 46
	2012: 83
	2013: 84 (this includes 41 graduate interns who started placements in 2012).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many houses provided through the COMPASS contracts do not meet contractual standards on quality owing to (a) minor and (b) major defects.

Mark Harper: The COMPASS performance management reporting process is not property based.
	Instead it measures the timeliness of fault rectification and the impact of a property defect on the service user. In the month of October 2013 (the most recent validated report), the overall number of asylum seekers affected by minor defects was 172 and by major defects was 75. Defects have therefore affected less than 1% of the circa 25,000 asylum seekers who were accommodated in October 2013.

Asylum: Appeals

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2013, Official Report, column 316W, on asylum: appeals, in how many asylum and immigration cases where the applicant has appealed to HM Courts and Tribunal Service the Secretary of State's decision has been withdrawn (a) prior to the scheduled hearing date and (b) on the scheduled hearing day, in the last 12 months; and how many of the cases where decisions have been withdrawn by the Secretary of State have subsequently had no further decision issued.

Mark Harper: The data relating to the Secretary of State for the Home Department decisions withdrawn in the last 12 months are set out in the following table, broken down by (a) those withdrawn prior to the scheduled hearing date, and (b) those withdrawn on the scheduled hearing date.
	
		
			  Volume of SSHD decisions withdrawn in the last 12 months 
			 Appeal Type (a) Withdrawn prior to the scheduled hearing date (b) Withdrawn on the scheduled hearing date 
			 Asylum 189 45 
			 Deport 53 12 
			 Temporary Migration 1,709 335 
			 Permanent Migration 653 157 
			 Total 2,604 549 
			 Notes: 1. The table relates to in-country SSHD decisions. We are not able to run data on entry clearance withdrawals as a complete set of data are not held on this type of case. 2. The data on which our response is based are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. The information has been provided by and assured by the Home Office Performance Unit but has not been quality assured under national statistics protocols. 
		
	
	We are unable to answer the third part of the question as we are unable to accurately link appeal withdrawals to case outcomes.
	In answering this question we also wish to clarify the answer given to PQ 175606, answered on 12 December 2013, Official Report, column 316W. In my answer of 12 December 2013, I only provided a count of those cases recorded on our system as having a decision withdrawn and did not include other cases where the appeal was treated as withdrawn. In my answer today, the data relates to cases where the Tribunal will have treated the appeal as withdrawn as a consequence of the Secretary of State withdrawing a decision subsequent to the appeal being lodged. The two events—withdrawn decision and withdrawn appeal—are recorded separately on the system and consequently figures will differ depending on which field is interrogated for information.

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with what bank her Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office banks with the Government Banking Service (GBS), and in line with Government policy, does not go overdrawn. Therefore, we did not incur any charges in relation to overdrafts.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of the policing of the pilot badger culls was carried out on public land; and if he will separately calculate the costs of such policing;
	(2)  whether the costs of policing that part of the pilot badger culls which took place on private land were passed on to the relevant culling company for the reimbursement of the Exchequer.

Damian Green: This information is not held centrally.

EU Nationals: Deportation

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the powers under which EU citizens may be administratively removed from the UK; what conditions must be fulfilled for such removals to take place; and how many people of what EU nationality have been so removed in each year since 2008-09.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 January 2014
	EU nationals only have a right of residence in another member state for longer than three months if they are exercising treaty rights as a worker, jobseeker, student, self-employed or self-sufficient person. Member states can administratively remove EU nationals who do not fulfil the residence requirements.
	Since 1 January 2014 those EU nationals who are administratively removed from the UK for not fulfilling the residence requirements will also be unable to re-enter for 12 months following their removal, unless they can demonstrate that they will be immediately exercising treaty rights.
	Member states can also administratively remove EU nationals who abuse free movement rights. Since 1 January 2014 EU nationals who participate in, or facilitate, marriages of convenience, those who fraudulently acquire a right of residence, and those who seek to circumvent the requirements for residence can be administratively removed by the Home Office. EU nationals who are administratively removed from the.UK for the abuse of free movement rights will be unable to re-enter if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that readmission would lead to abuse.
	Separate deportation removal powers apply for cases of criminality.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of EU nationals removed or departing voluntarily from the UK on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tables-for-immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2013

Government Procurement Card

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to ensure proper use of Government procurement cards in her Department; and what system is in place to prevent abuse of such cards.

James Brokenshire: The Home Department has clear policy, setting out the process for the use of Government procurement cards (GPC) and separation of duties between card holders, authorisers and reviewers, as follows:
	Any spend requests outside of policy must be reviewed and authorised by Service Operations GPC team to agree or decline as appropriate;
	Card holders' line managers are responsible for approving monthly expenditure statements for each card held in their respective business unit complying with the processes set out in the GPC card holder guidance manual;
	On completion of the process the transaction log and supporting documents are passed to the card officer for random checking for compliance and retention;
	As required by policy, approving managers submit an annual declaration, by 31 March each year to the GPC team confirming that all GPC cards held in their business unit have been appropriately managed, all spend properly accounted for and declaring any instances of inappropriate use of the cards throughout the previous financial year;
	Failure to submit the annual return may result in all cards for that business unit being suspended and the facility withdrawn;
	Monthly reports are received from the card issuer in respect of transactions which are then reviewed by the GPC team and any unusual transactions are then questioned with the card holder; and
	Several card categories have also been closed to users to ensure spend is channelled through Home Office contracts and reduce the amount of ad hoc spend.
	Referrals are made to spot buy colleagues where frequent or high value spend is identified to ensure value for money.

Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on an unannounced inspection of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre on 5 to 16 August 2013, what steps her Department plans to take to improve scrutiny of GEO Group UK Ltd management of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre.

Mark Harper: All immigration removal centres operated by the private sector, including Harmondsworth, have their contracts managed by a central commercial team. The Home Office has staff based in each immigration removal centre to monitor contract delivery and compliance. Meetings take place with the contractor, at an operational level on a weekly basis and, on a commercial level on a quarterly basis.
	The performance by the contractor running Harmondsworth has been below the high standard expected and in response to the inspection report a Service Improvement Plan is being drawn up addressing each recommendation made and outlining what action will be taken.
	Under the protocol with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons this will be undertaken within two months of the report's publication. Thereafter, the Home Office has 18 months to effect the improvements.
	However, the Home Office has already engaged with the contractor and put in place a range of actions to address the areas of immediate concern.

Immigration Controls

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times passport control targets have been missed since 31 May 2013.

Mark Harper: Published data of clearance of passengers at the border within published service standards up to and including quarter one 2013-14 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Clearance of passengers at the border within published service standards1 
			  Qtr 1 2010-11 Qtr 2 2010-11 Qtr 3 2011-11 Qtr 4 2010-11 Full year outturn 2010-11 Qtr 1 2011-12 Qtr 2 2011-12 Qtr 3 2011-12 Qtr 4 2011-12 Full year outturn 2011-12 
			 Number of passengers sampled2,3 51,086 55,748 47,240 44,636 198,710 55,145 63,152 54,900 55,679 228,876 
			 Number of passengers cleared within service standards 50,295 54,236 46,654 43,935 195,120 53,511 60,876 54,086 54,558 223,031 
			            
			 Percentage of passengers cleared within service standards 98 97 99 98 98 97 96 99 98 97 
		
	
	
		
			  Qtr 1 2012-13 Qtr 2 2012 - 134 Qtr 3 2012-135 Qtr 4 2012-136 Full year outturn 2012-13 Qtr 1 2013-14 
			 Number of passengers sampled2,3 62,013 78,906 119,632 126,694 387,245 131,513 
			 Number of passengers cleared within service standards 60,422 78,118 119,186 126,439 384,165 131,023 
			        
			 Percentage of passengers cleared within service standards 97.4 99 99.6 99.8 99.2 99.6 
		
	
	
		
			 1 The service standards are: 95% of European economic area (EEA) passengers with 25 minutes; and 95% non-EEA passengers within 45 minutes. 2 Sampling methodology: Most ports and airports involved in the sampling aim to take one queue measurement every hour during passenger arrival times, where it is practical to do so (but see notes 3 and 4 below). A queue is defined from when a passenger/vehicle joins a static body of people/line of vehicles to when they arrive at the UK Border control desk. To ensure consistency of approach ports are advised to used on of two recommended methods—either a passenger or vehicle is picked out as they join a queue and then visually traced (by an officer on location or by CCTV) until they reach the border control desk or the passenger will be handed a card with the time of joining queue noted and they are asked hand the card to UKBA officer on the desk as soon as they reach that point. 3 At some ferry ports, we measure the median queue length for cars and coaches as the representative sample of immigration queue length. At these locations, we measure the time taken for the first car and the last car to clear the controls and divide this by 2 to calculate the median queue length. This allows for a more accurate evaluation of the queuing time that excludes the waiting on board ship for disembarkation. 4 A recent audit of the methods used to measure waiting times found variations in the approaches being used. As a result of the recommendations made, work is under way to implement a more robust and consistent approach across all ports on entry. 5 From 25 August 2012, queue measures were taken every 15 minutes at Heathrow. This means that there has been an increase in the number of passengers sampled. 6 From 28 October 2012, queue measures were taken every 15 minutes at Gatwick. This means that there has been an increase in the number of passengers sampled. Note: All figures quoted are management information only which have been subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change.

Immigration Controls: Ports

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasion freight checks were suspended in the ports of (a) Ayr, (b) Barrow in Furness, (c) Barry, (d) Belfast, (e) Birkenhead, (f) Bristol, (g) Burntisland, (h) Cardiff, (i) Clydeport, (j) Dundee, (k) Felixstowe, (l) Fleetwood, (m) Garston, (n) Goole, (o) Grangemouth, (p) Grimsby, (q) Hartlepool, (r) Harwich, (s) Heysham, (t) Hull, (u) Immingham, (v) Ipswich, (w) King's Lynn, (x) Leith, (y) Liverpool, (z) London, (aa) London Gateway, (bb) Lowestoft, (cc) Medway Ports, (dd) Methill, (ee) Newport, (ff) Plymouth, (gg) Port Talbot, (hh) Rosyth, (ii) Silloth, (jj) Southampton, (kk) Swansea, (ll) Tees, (mm) Teignmouth, (nn) Tilbury and (oo) Troon for (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

Mark Harper: To ensure the integrity and security of the UK border Her Majesty's Government cannot comment on port specific statistics.

Immigration Controls: Ports

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Border Force staff were employed in the ports of (a) Ayr, (b) Barrow in Furness, (c) Barry, (d) Belfast, (e) Birkenhead, (f) Bristol, (g) Burntisland, (h) Cardiff, (i) Clydeport, (j) Dundee, (k) Felixstowe, (l) Fleetwood, (m) Garston, (n) Goole, (o) Grangemouth, (p) Grimsby, (q) Hartlepool, (r) Harwich, (s) Heysham, (t) Hull, (u) Immingham, (v) Ipswich, (w) King's Lynn, (x) Leith, (y) Liverpool, (z) London, (aa) London Gateway, (bb) Lowestoft, (cc) Medway Ports, (dd) Methill, (ee) Newport, (ff) Plymouth, (gg) Port Talbot, (hh) Rosyth, (ii) Silloth, (jj) Southampton, (kk) Swansea, (ll) Tees, (mm) Teignmouth, (nn) Tilbury and (oo) Troon in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14 to date.

Mark Harper: It is Border Force policy not to release port-specific staff numbers on grounds of national security.

Offenders: Deportation

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2013, Official Report, column 438W, on offenders: deportation, what steps she is taking to deport Paulo Sapstyn.

Mark Harper: The Home Office does not comment on individual cases.

Police: Body Searches

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what her policy is on the use of strip searching of detainees;
	(2)  if she will review her Department's guidelines on when it is appropriate for the police to conduct strip searches.

Damian Green: holding answer 17 January 2014
	The ability of the police to conduct thorough and, in certain circumstances, intimate searches is essential to combat many types of crime, including drug dealing and the possession of offensive weapons.
	Any searches conducted by the police must be lawful and in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its codes of practice. It is the responsibility of chief constables to ensure compliance with the law and the codes.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which electoral registration campaigns have been the most successful in each of the last three years.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has completed five public awareness campaigns in the last three years, four of which included a significant element focused on voter registration.
	The Commission uses the number of registration form downloads from its aboutmyvote.co.uk website to measure the success of its campaigns. The perceived importance of an election has a significant effect on the number of registration forms downloaded, the Commission consequently sets campaign targets based on the nearest equivalent election. This means that it is not possible to say accurately which campaign in the last three years was the most successful.
	Registration form download figures are available for three campaigns over the time period requested and are as follows:
	
		
			 Campaign Total registration forms downloaded during the campaign period pre-registration deadline 
			 PVS referendum 2011 131,000 
			 English, Scottish and Welsh elections 2012 146,000 
			 English local elections 2013 87,000 
		
	
	The Commission also ran a public awareness campaign to support the Northern Ireland autumn canvass in 2013. The campaign encouraged people to return the canvass form that they received, rather than download one from the Commission's website. 30% of people surveyed in Northern Ireland said they returned the canvass form because of the Commission's public awareness campaign, which met the target set for the campaign based on the nearest equivalent campaign in 2006.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much was spent on each electoral registration campaign in each of the last 10 years; and how many voters were registered as a result of each such campaign.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it maintains data for its registration campaigns dating back to the 2005 UK general election. Electoral registers are held by each electoral registration officer individually, which means it has not been possible to accurately measure changes in registration levels directly attributable to the Commission's public awareness campaigns. The Commission therefore uses the number of registration forms downloaded from its aboutmyvote.co.uk website to measure campaign effectiveness.
	The cost and response to the Commission's campaigns since the 2005 UK general election are as follows:
	
		
			 Campaign Total registration forms downloaded during the campaign period pre- registration deadline Total campaign spend including producing material, research and running a call centre (£) 
			 General election 2005 49,000 14,100,000 
			 England and Wales local elections 2006 34,000 1,500,000 
			 England and Wales local elections 2007 51,000 2,400,000 
			 England, Wales and London elections 2008 128,000 3,900,000 
			 European Parliament 2009 137,000 4,000,000 
			 General election 2010 466,000 2,700,000 
			 PVS referendum 2011 (limited registration activity) 131,000 26,400,000 
			 English, Scottish and Welsh elections 2012 146,000 34,100,000 
		
	
	
		
			 English local elections 2013 87,000 1,200,000 
			 1 This is from the 2005-06 financial year only. 2 This included a national door drop booklet to all UK households (£2,500,000). 3 This included funds from Scottish Government to fund a separate Scottish local elections campaign (£1.4 million) that involved a door drop booklet all households in Scotland. 
		
	
	The Commission also ran a public awareness campaign to support the Northern Ireland autumn canvass in 2013 at a cost of £835,000. The campaign encouraged people to return the canvass form that they received, rather than download one from the Commission's website. 30% of people surveyed in Northern Ireland said they returned the canvass form because of the Commission's public awareness campaign, which met the target set for the campaign based on the nearest equivalent campaign in 2006.
	A similar campaign was conducted to the support the 2006 autumn canvass in Northern Ireland at a cost of £628,000. 29% of those surveyed said they returned the canvass form because of the Commission's public awareness campaign.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of any pay gaps in respect of (a) gender, (b) race and (c) disability amongst employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Helen Grant: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and is responsible for its own staff management including monitoring its own employee pay gaps. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the Commission to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested. I am placing a copy of the letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

Women: Northern Ireland

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if the Inspiring Women Campaign will be extended to Northern Ireland.

Helen Grant: The Inspiring Women campaign is run by the charity the Education and Employers Taskforce, and forms part of their broader Inspiring the Future initiative, a free scheme which connects schools and volunteers. It is independent of Government but has strong cross-party support. Any decisions about its extension beyond England are for the charity but we do understand that they plan to extend the scheme to Scotland shortly and thereafter to Wales and Northern Ireland. I would encourage the hon. Member to get in touch with the charity directly.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many current local radio stations will continue to operate after the digital radio switchover.

Edward Vaizey: The Government recognise the importance of local commercial radio stations to the communities they serve and is committed to reserving part of the FM spectrum as a platform for local and community radio stations, for as long as it is needed.

Internet: Children

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what discussions her Department has had with leading social media sites on protecting children online;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with social media sites on protecting children online.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS Ministers and officials regularly discuss the issue of protecting children online with representatives from social media companies, including through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).
	It is the intention that Minsters will host a round table, early in the new year, with social media companies to examine whether more can be done to protect children using social media.

Members: Correspondence

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 23 July 2013 regarding funding for junior potential paralympians.

Helen Grant: A response was sent on 16 September 2013. Officials have re-sent the letter to the right hon. Gentleman's constituency office.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax Benefits

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has made an assessment of the effects on the number of (a) households and (b) children living in poverty of reductions in council tax benefit.

Brandon Lewis: These are local schemes, and it is for local authorities to ensure that the effect on specific groups of council tax payers is proportionate and fair. We made a £100 million transition grant available in 2013-14 to help councils develop well-designed schemes and maintain incentives to work.
	An independent review of the policy will be carried out within three years. We are working with local authorities to identify the right data sources for that review.
	Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last Government, costing taxpayers £4 billion a year-equivalent to almost £180 a year per household. Welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit left by the last Administration.
	Our reforms to localise council tax support now give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people into work. We are ending the last Administration's 'something for nothing' culture and making work pay.

Disadvantaged Families

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial contribution each Government Department has made to the Troubled Families Programme in each year since 2010; and what those contributions are expected to be for each year to 2015.

Kris Hopkins: The financial contributions made to the Troubled Families programme by Government Departments and those planned until 2015 are as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Total 
			 DCLG 66.0 58.0 50.0 174.0 
			 DFE 31.052 30.0 30.0 91.052 
			 HO 15.0 30.0 30.0 75.0 
			 DWP - 10.0 10.0 20.0 
			 MOJ 8.0 8.0 9.0 25.0 
			 DH 15.0 20.0 25.0 60.0 
			 Total 135.052 156.0 154.0 445.052 
		
	
	The financial contributions outlined above are subject to regular review. As a demand led programme, these contributions and their timings may change over the lifetime of the programme.

Social Rented Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether it is his policy to encourage social housing tenants to use HomeSwapper;
	(2)  whether it is his policy to encourage social housing landlords to pay for access to HomeSwapper;
	(3)  if he will encourage social housing landlords to inform tenants of the company HomeSwapper.

Kris Hopkins: HomeSwap Direct was launched in October 2011 to allow social tenants who wish to move through a mutual exchange to see details of all possible properties nationwide. Tenants have carried out over 18 million searches of the property data held on HomeSwap Direct.
	Four providers currently participate in HomeSwap Direct: HomeSwapper, House Exchange, Abritas and LHS (Locata).
	We supported HomeSwap Direct through a new Tenancy Standard which came into force on 1 April 2012 and placed a requirement on landlords to subscribe to an internet-based mutual exchange service, in order to allow a tenant free access to register an interest in arranging a mutual exchange and search for other mutual exchange properties. The provider of the service must be a signatory to an agreement such as HomeSwap Direct, which allows tenants to see matches across all internet-based mutual exchange services.
	The Tenancy Standard includes a requirement for landlords to take reasonable steps to publicise the availability of any mutual exchange service(s) to which it subscribes to its tenants.
	The success of this Government's Homeswap Direct initiative is in stark contrast to the Labour Government's failed Move UK mobility scheme. That centrally prescribed service, funded by the taxpayer, collapsed and failed, leaving taxpayers with a £1 million bill and nothing to show for it.

TRANSPORT

Cycling

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the most recent meeting of his Department's Cycle Safety Stakeholder Forum was held; and when the next such meeting is scheduled.

Robert Goodwill: The most recent meeting of the safety sub-group of the Cycling Stakeholder Forum was on 16 July 2013. On 30 September 2013 a meeting of the full Cycling Stakeholder Forum was held where the Minister received an update on cycle safety from the sub-group. We are currently working on a forward plan for future meetings.

Galileo System

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the UK contribution to the EU Galileo project.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply 
	of behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 163W regarding the cost of the Galileo and EGNOS satellite navigation programmes.
	The deployment and operational phases of the Galileo programme and all future costs are the responsibility of the EU. EU member states, including the UK, contribute to the EU Budget as a whole and not to individual spending programmes within it. As a reference point, the UK's post-abatement financing share of the EU Budget was estimated to be around 12.5% in 2013.
	The financial envelope for the Galileo programme is set at €7.072 billion in current prices for the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020. This is 10% lower than the amount requested by the European Commission and was negotiated as part of an overall package which delivered the first cut in the long-term EU budget in history.
	In order to improve transparency of costs for the programme, this budget is broken down into four parts for the different phases of the programmes and the regulation requires that the European Commission provides information to the member states on how the budget is applied, overall costs and operating costs of significant Galileo infrastructure items.
	The Government consider that the new Galileo Regulation (EU 1285/2013) which came into force on 1 January 2014 has the potential to bring about significant improvements in how the Galileo programme is managed and governed.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether repair work from storm damage to High Speed 2 railways during its construction has been factored in to the budget for the project.

Robert Goodwill: The current estimate for Phase 1 includes a contingency allowance which recognises the level of risk and uncertainty on the project at this early stage of its development. This contingency includes provision for severe weather related risks during construction.
	As the project progresses HS2 Ltd will review and update the risks which inform the contingency allowance, including the extent to which the severe weather provision is sufficient, recognising the difficulty in mitigating against naturally occurring events which are beyond the control of HS2 Ltd to prevent.

Tyres

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has recently commissioned on the safety and legality of the sale of part-worn tyres; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport has not recently commissioned analysis or research in relation to part-worn tyres. The sale of part-worn tyres are regulated by the Motor Vehicle Tyre (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI No. 3117) and enforced by local authority trading standards officers. There are currently no plans to review these provisions although the Department for Transport will be consulting during 2014 on revisions to the tyre safety regulations in response to the red tape challenge.

JUSTICE

Legal Aid Agency

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) average and (b) range of time it has taken the Legal Aid Agency to make a decision following an application for exceptional case funding has been since April 2013.

Shailesh Vara: To date, the average time it has taken the Legal Aid Agency to make a decision following a complete application for exceptional case funding since l April 2013 is just under six days. The range of time it has taken to make a decision is between 1 and 20 days depending upon the complexity of the case.
	All new applications for exceptional case funding have a target rate of 20 days. Applications for a review of an exceptional case determination have a target of 10 days. These targets have been met to date.
	Exceptional funding is available where a case is excluded from the scope of civil legal aid as defined in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
	The above figures exclude multi-party action cases where the average time taken is just over 17 days and the range is also between two and 37 days. These actions as a group of claimants with potentially exceptionally high costs need considering together and often require extensive dialogues with applicant's lawyers on the basis of these claims. It is proper that such actions receive a higher level of scrutiny given the exceptional costs potentially involved.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what weighting his Department's procurement procedures give to (a) the location of a company and its workforce, (b) the extent to which a company has a strong environmental record, (c) whether the company is a social enterprise and (d) other company history prior performance.

Shailesh Vara: The Department does not have a pre-defined evaluation model, however the MOJ develops tailored evaluation methodologies for all its procurements with the aim of achieving the best possible value for money for the taxpayer. The Public Procurement Regulations provide that contracts can be awarded to the bidder submitting either the ‘lowest priced’ or the ‘most economically advantageous’ tender. The latter methodology would include a range of non-price criteria whose selection would vary depending on the objective of the procurement. To determine what procedures are used would involve manually scrutinising all procurements, as this information in not centrally collated; therefore to provide this information, would be a disproportionate cost.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ HQ), Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not hold information centrally on work experience placements for school age participants. Such placements are managed locally.
	The Ministry of Justice does participate in the cross-government Whitehall Internship programme for sixth form students. Four students took part in this scheme in the MOJ in 2012 and seven students participated in the scheme in the MOJ in 2013.
	The Department provides guidance to managers on a range of resourcing options, including guidance on work experience placements.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Boilers: Rural Areas

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to increase the number of Energy Company Obligation installations in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: It is important that rural and non-gas fuelled households are able to benefit from support under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and we will be considering this carefully as part of the consultation on ECO changes this spring.
	The consultation will explore how best to incentivise delivery of Affordable Warmth measures to non-gas fuelled households, and will include proposals to broaden the Carbon Saving Community Obligation (CSCO) eligibility criteria. The latter will mean that more households will be eligible for CSCO and it will be easier for obligated companies to identify and support eligible rural households.
	In addition we will be considering how best to support non-gas fuelled households as part of our forthcoming draft Fuel Poverty Strategy, on which we will also consult in the spring.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change occupies all or part of four buildings which are privately owned. However, the Department leases the buildings from other Government Departments and all payments by us are made to them. Those Departments hold the information on payments made to the ultimate owners. The details are as follows:
	
		
			 Property Payee Annual Rent (£) 
			 3 Whitehall Place, Westminster—entire building DTZ Limited—Agents for Dept. for Environment (DEFRA)—current Leaseholders 4,314,196.00 
			 Four Floors (whole or partial) of Kings Buildings, Smith Square, Westminster Transport for London 1901,360.00 
			 118 desks from Department for Business, One Victoria St, Westminster Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)—Leaseholders 2721,000.00 
			 Two Floors of Atholl House, Guild St, Aberdeen Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)—current Leaseholders 333,740.00 
			 1 Inclusive of all Utilities etc. under Licence to Occupy. 2 Inclusive of all Utilities etc. (Rent not broken down individually).

Carbon Emissions

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the carbon emissions for his Department were in relation to (a) energy use, (b) departmental travel and (c) other matters in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013.

Gregory Barker: DECC reports on its carbon emissions by financial year. As the current financial year has not ended, here we provide figures commencing 2009-10.
	DECC does not report emissions from “other matters” (e.g. water, fugitive etc) because energy use and travel are our only significant emissions sources. For core DECC (ie not including arm’s length bodies) emissions were as follows:
	
		
			  Energy use (tCO2e) Travel (tCO2e) 
			 2009-10 1,226 2,332 
			 2010-11 937 1,428 
			 2011-12 844 1,314 
			 2012-13 896 1,016

Eggborough Power Station

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the contribution of Eggborough Power Station to UK energy generation.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 20 January 2014
	The energy generating capacity of Eggborough Power Station is 1960MW1 which represents around 2% of total operational generating capacity.
	While DECC does not publish a breakdown of generation by individual power stations owing to commercial sensitivities, published statistics show that in 2012, the latest full year available, total electricity generation from major power producers, which includes Eggborough, was 325.139 TWh, with generation from coal accounting for 34.33% or 143.18 TWh.
	1 DUKES Chapter 5.7 Plant Capacity in the United Kingdom
	2 DUKES Chapter 5.11 Power stations in the United Kingdom (figure end 2012)
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-chapter-5-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes
	dukes (figure for capacity end 2012)
	3 DECC Energy Trends section 5 published in December 2013:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-section-5-energy-trends

Electricity: ICT

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2014, Official Report, column 337W, on electricity: ICT, what discussions he has had with other Departments on working with data centres to reduce energy usage.

Michael Fallon: I discuss a wide range of energy efficiency matters across different sectors with my colleagues across Government including in relation to the ICT sector. My officials are also in detailed discussion with their colleagues in HM Treasury, HMRC, and BIS on the inclusion of data centres in the Climate Change Agreements scheme.

Energy: Conservation

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's policy is on promoting longer life and recycled consumer electrical products as a means of reducing national energy consumption.

Gregory Barker: In December 2013, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published the Government's waste prevention programme for England. This sets out the key roles and actions which should be taken to move towards a more resource efficient economy. Using resources more efficiently, designing and manufacturing products for optimum life, and repairing and reusing more items could save us all money, reduce demand for raw materials and increase resource efficiency. It also contributes to efforts to improve the environment, including through the development of a more sustainable approach to waste disposal.
	In 2012, the Department of Energy and Climate Change published the Government's Energy Efficiency Strategy, which highlights the continuing role that energy efficiency improvements in products will have in ensuring the UK can manage its future demand for electricity. EU-wide performance standards for products are already proving successful in driving cost-effective greenhouse gas emissions reductions and securing energy savings. The UK Government recently called on the European Commission to explore options for increasing the level of ambition in this area.

Fracking

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions on fracking he has had with his European counterparts.

Michael Fallon: The European Commission has been assessing the existing framework for the extraction of unconventional hydrocarbons across member states. During this process the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has been engaged with his European counterparts.
	The UK has over 50 years of experience regulating onshore oil and gas activity, and is in a prime position to provide guidance and examples of best practice when it comes to regulating the unconventional sector. It is important to engage with European counterparts to ensure that the development of a European shale industry is regulated in a responsible and environmentally safe manner.

Plutonium

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much plutonium arising from civil commercial reactors has been exported, to which countries and for which end-use since May 2010.

Michael Fallon: Since May 2010, 200 grammes of plutonium dioxide have been exported to Norway for fuel research purposes.

Renewable Energy

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people have been employed in the (a) onshore wind, (b) offshore wind, (c) solar, (d) wave, (e) tidal and (f) biomass industries in each year since 2009.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not measure employment levels in specific sectors.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned and published a report in July 2013 that measured employment in the Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services Sector (LCEGS), which is available online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/224068/bis-13-p143-low-carbon-and-environmental-goods-and-services-report-2011-12.pdf
	The following table sets out how many people have been employed in each sector for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 (please note: employment for onshore and offshore wind has bee n included in one category (wind), and employment levels for wave and tidal have also been combined into a single category (wind and tidal)). The estimates include both those directly employed and those employed in the wider supply chain.
	
		
			 Generating technology Employment 2011-12 Employment 2010-11 Employment 2009-10 
			 Biomass 48,884 48,994 47,485 
			 Hydro 5,097 5,100 4,955 
			 Solar 40,377 40,398 39,152 
			 Wave and Tidal 570 570 552 
			 Wind 94,068 94,157 91,194 
			 Source: Table 8: UK LCEGS Employment for 2009-10 to 2011-12 
		
	
	The employment data for 2012-13 (the 2014 update) is not yet available. The Department is working closely with BIS in reviewing the approach for this year's update. An invitation to tender on the 'collection and analysis of data on the size and economic performance of key sectors of the "green economy" in the UK' was published on 18 December 2013.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Cabinet Office Guidance for Customer Service Helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change already complies with this Cabinet Office Guidance.
	There does however remain one 084 number within one of our arm’s length bodies (ALBs) at the 'Coal Authority' but there is already an 012 number set up to replace it. This is also now the only number publicised as the 084 number will be disconnected soon.

DEFENCE

Accountancy

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on redundancy payouts for those made redundant within his Department's accountancy department since 2010;
	(2)  how many people were working in his Department's accountancy department in each year since 2010;
	(3)  how many officials in his Department working within the accountancy department have been made redundant since 2010.

Anna Soubry: I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Accountancy

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on external accountancy support in each year since 2010; and what the value has been of each of his Department's external accountancy contracts in that time.

Philip Dunne: I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Andrew Manley

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will publish a breakdown of the expenses claims filed by Andrew Manley, Chief Executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation;
	(2)  if he will publish details of the full remuneration package of Andrew Manley, Chief Executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation;
	(3)  when the issues relating to the conduct of Andrew Manley, Chief Executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, were first brought to the attention of Ministers in his Department; and which Minister this was;
	(4)  for what reason he rejected the resignation offer of Andrew Manley, Chief Executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation in 2013;
	(5)  when his Department's internal investigation into the conduct of Andrew Manley, Chief Executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation will be concluded; and whether the findings will be published.

Anna Soubry: There is an ongoing departmental investigation into matters concerning Mr Andrew Manley, and it would therefore be inappropriate to make any comment at this time. In general, any offer of resignation by a civil servant would properly be made to his or her line management, rather than to Ministers. The salary of the chief executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation is published through the Cabinet Office returns as part the transparency agenda and can be found at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230884/dio_senior_March_13.csv/preview

Armed Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to support the three services in addressing shortages in pinch point trades.

Anna Soubry: The armed forces are going through significant restructuring and throughout this period there will be shortages in some roles. However, mitigations are in place to ensure frontline operational capability is not affected. These include the use of recruitment and retention financial incentives for those in operational pinch point (OPP) trades. All personnel, including those due to be made redundant in the Armed Forces Redundancy programme, may apply for transfers into OPP trades providing they have the appropriate competencies. Furthermore, personnel in OPP trades are protected from redundancy.
	All three Services continue to recruit and the Army recently launched a major recruiting drive for both regulars and reservists. Taken together with the measures already mentioned, we are confident that we have, and will continue to have, the right personnel and skill set to satisfy all of Defence's strategic and operational requirements.

Armed Forces: Resignations

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish figures of voluntary outflow for each rank of the armed forces for each of the last 10 years.

Anna Soubry: The requested breakdown of voluntary outflow by rank is not available for the years 2004 to 2007. For information relating to the years 2008 to 2011, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr Dunne), on 14 February 2013, Official Report, columns 830-2W, to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson), Information covering the period 1 January 2012 to 30 November 2013 can be found at:
	www.dasa.mod.uk

Army Reserve

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army reserve recruits (a) left the service and (b) were enlisted from 2011 to the most recent year for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: The estimated number of army reserve recruits that have left the service or enlisted between 1 April 2012 and 30 November 2013, the latest date for which information is available can be found at:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/personnel/military/quarterly-personnel-report/2013-10-01/1-october-2013.pdf
	Information prior to April 2012 is not held in the format requested.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has published, 19 December 2013, Official Report, column 124WS, the trajectory of recruiting targets for the reserves that we will have to meet to deliver our commitment of 30,000 trained army reservists by 2018. This trajectory takes account of outflow. These out-turn figures will be published on a quarterly basis.

Army: Recruitment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which part of his Department's budget the cost of the army recruitment drive recently announced by his Department will be met.

Anna Soubry: The current Army recruitment drive is being funded from within the Army's Top Level Budget.

AWE

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police officers were under investigation in 2013 for neglect of duties at the Atomic Weapons Establishment; how many such officers have since faced disciplinary action; how many such officers have resigned from the force since being notified of investigation; what steps he is taking to review police management standards at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Burghfield; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: All Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers are expected to perform their duties to the highest standard at all times. Any failure in such standards is taken very seriously. 44 MDP officers at Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Burghfield are currently subject to a police misconduct investigation which commenced in late 2013. This investigation concerns allegations of officers failing to complete their duties correctly. Seven officers have resigned during the course of this investigation and a number of changes to practice were put in place immediately. It would be inappropriate to comment further on an ongoing misconduct investigation. MDP management standards at AWE Burghfield are being reviewed as part of the investigation and any actions considered appropriate will be taken forward as part of a formal management action programme.

AWE Aldermaston

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when nuclear processing operations recommenced in the main processing building at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, following the Improvement Notice from the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Philip Dunne: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Improvement Notice issued on 9 November 2012 to AWE plc prohibits nuclear processing operations in the uranium component manufacturing facility until completion of the repairs to structural steel work. The original deadline given by the ONR for completion of the works was 31 December 2013; but the ONR has agreed to extend the deadline to 31 May 2015. Plans for the subsequent re-commencement of processing operations are still being considered.

AWE Burghfield

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when emergency flood defences have been deployed at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Burghfield since the flood event of July 2007.

Philip Dunne: Since July 2007, emergency flood defences have been deployed 26 times at Atomic Weapons Establishment Burghfield. 13 deployments followed weather warnings and 13 routine deployments were made to ensure preparedness during periods of site closure, such as holiday periods. The dates are as follows:
	As a result of weather warnings:
	from 14 May 2009 to 15 May 2009
	from 16 July 2009 to 17 July 2009
	from 15 January 2010 to 18 January 2010
	from 27 February 2010 to 1 March 2010
	from 18 August 2011 to 19 August 2011
	from 22 August 2011 to 29 August 2011
	from 27 April 2012 to 30 April 2012
	from 2 May 2012 to 3 May 2012
	from 24 August 2012 to 28 August 2012
	from 21 September 2012 to 24 September 2012
	from 23 November 2012 to 26 November 2012
	from 25 October 2013 to 28 October 2013
	from 23 December 2013 to 2 January 2014
	To ensure preparedness during site closure:
	from 23 December 2008 to 5 January 2009
	from 9 April 2009 to 14 April 2009
	from 1 May 2009 to 05 May 2009
	from 22 May 2009 to 26 May 2009
	from 28 August 2009 to 1 September 2009
	from 23 December 2009 to 5 January 2010
	from 1 April 2010 to 6 April 2010
	from 30 April 2010 to 4 May 2010
	from 28 May 2010 to 1 June 2010
	from 27 August 2010 to 31 August 2010
	from 23 December 2010 to 3 January 2011
	from 23 December 2011 to 2 January 2012
	from 21 December 2012 to 2 January 2013

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with what bank his Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Philip Hammond: In common with most other Departments of State the Ministry of Defence (MOD) obtains its banking services through the Government Banking Service (GBS).
	Under the current contract this means that the Department's core bank accounts are held with Citi and the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBSG) which trades as RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank.
	These accounts are funded by the Treasury on a monthly basis in accordance with the Department's forecast cash requirement for the month.
	No changes were incurred in the last financial year in connection with individual GBS accounts being overdrawn because the overall set of MOD GBS accounts were in credit.
	Where GBS cannot meet the Department's requirements, e.g. local banking services abroad, the Department enters into commercial arrangements to satisfy the banking requirement. These accounts are predominantly funded from the Department's core accounts or are self funding through receipts. These non-GBS accounts are not routinely held in overdraft but on occasions they may move into overdraft for short periods if funding transfers are not made in time or unexpectedly high payments are made from the accounts. In financial year 2012-13 interest paid by the MOD on such overdraft balances amounted to £911.55. Associated charges, where incurred, are not separately identifiable.

Burma

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether an offer has been made to the Burmese Army of training in establishing mechanisms to investigate and prosecute cases where Burmese Army soldiers are alleged to have committed human rights abuses.

Mark Francois: No.

Navy: Recruitment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many new naval reserve recruits there were in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) Hampshire in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many regular naval recruits were enlisted in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England in each of the last three years.

Anna Soubry: Naval recruitment is co-ordinated through the Armed Forces Careers Offices, not by geographic area. Recruiting figures for Regular naval recruits in the last three years are shown in Table A, and figures for Naval Reserve recruits in the last five years are shown in Table B:
	
		
			 Table A: Regular service entrants 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-141 
			 Officers     
			 AFCO Portsmouth (RN) 0 0 0 0 
			 RN & RM Careers Southampton 0 0 0 0 
			 Admiralty Interview Board/Naval Recruiting 70 50 50 40 
			 OCLC London 70 70 40 30 
			 Total English offices 320 290 280 250 
			      
			 Other ranks     
			 AFCO Portsmouth (RN) 115 80 100 60 
			 RN & RM Careers Southampton 40 30 40 40 
			 Total English offices 1,950 1,670 2,120 1,700 
			 Total English offices (All Regular service entrants) 2,270 1,960 2,400 1,960 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Reserve service entrants 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-141 
			 Officers       
			 AFCO Portsmouth (RN) 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 RN & RM Careers Southampton 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Admiralty Interview Board 10 10 0 10 20 10 
			 OCLC London 10 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			        
			 Other ranks       
			 AFCO Portsmouth (RN) 10 20 30 10 20 10 
			 RN & RM Careers Southampton 0 10 10 0 0 0 
			 1 To 31 December 2013. Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in ‘5’ have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts. 
		
	
	Naval officers are normally recruited through one of seven Officer Careers Liaison Centres (OCLCs). Candidates from Portsmouth and Hampshire would normally be processed through OCLC London, along with candidates from a large area of southern England. Total numbers processed by OCLC London are provided above. It is not possible to separately identify those originating from a particular area. Specialist officer candidates, and those entering as Upper Yardmen, are processed directly by Naval Recruiting or the Admiralty Interview Board, both of which are based in Hampshire, but the candidates with whom they deal come from all over the UK.

Nuclear Weapons: Safety

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the name, date and location is of each nuclear weapons accident response exercise which (a) took place in 2013 and (b) is scheduled for 2014.

Andrew Murrison: Information on the names, dates and locations of nuclear weapons accident response exercises which took place in 2013 and provisional dates for exercises scheduled for 2014 is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			 Exercises conducted in 2013 
			  Date Location 
			 Orange Eagle 15 to 19 April 2013 Bramley Military Training Area 
			 Sitex (A) 8 June 2013 AWE Aldermaston 
			 Orange Eagle 5 to 9 August 2013 AWE Aldermaston 
			 Osmosis 13 23 to 26 September 2013 RAF Honington 
			 Open Isotope 27 to 29 September 2013 RAF Honington 
			 Astral Climb 13 24 October 2013 RAF Dishforth 
			 Astral Bend 13 5 to 6 November 2013 RNAS Merryfield 
			 Aldex 7 November 2013 AWE Aldermaston 
		
	
	
		
			 Exercises scheduled for 2014 
			  Date Location 
			 Orange Eagle March 2014 Berkshire 
			 Bowline 14 May 2014 Scotland 
			 Astral Bend 14 June 2014 Pembrokeshire 
			 Astral Climb 14 September 2014 Gloucester 
			 Osmosis 14 September 2014 Gloucester 
			 Open Isotope September 2014 Gloucester 
			 Orange Eagle November 2014 Hampshire

Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each such contract following the contract award.

Philip Dunne: As part of this Government's commitment to increase transparency, since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish information about the contracts they award on Contracts Finder:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000 on the Ministry of Defence's website:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-finance-transparency-dataset
	Monitoring of the contractor's performance against contractual outputs by MOD commercial staff is standard practice against all contracts. If the contractor failed to meet its contractual obligations, the commercial team responsible for that contract would enforce, where appropriate, one or more standard contract remedies, ranging from withholding payment to termination, for any failure of performance.

Royal Naval Reserve

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many naval reserve recruits (a) left the service and (b) were enlisted from 2011 to the most recent year for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: Naval reserve statistics are published quarterly in the Quarterly Personnel Report. The provisional figures available for the number of Maritime Reserve recruits that left the service and were enlisted can be found at:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/personnel/military/quarterly-personnel-report/2013-10-01/1-october-2013.pdf
	(tables 9 and 13)
	Due to the lack of validated and corrected data prior to October 2012, it is not possible to calculate movements before October 2012 using consistent definitions.
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in '5' have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
	Defence Statistics is continuing to investigate issues and methodologies relating to these statistics arid this work may result in changes to the data.

Royal Naval Reserve

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role he plans for HM Naval Base Portsmouth in the management of recruitment of reservists.

Anna Soubry: Captain Naval Recruiting is tasked with the management of recruiting for all arms of the naval service; his headquarters is in HM Naval Base Portsmouth. There are no plans to relocate that headquarters.

HEALTH

Abortion

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he is satisfied that the guidance contained in the Chief Medical Officer's letter to GPs and hospitals on the illegality of sex-selective abortions has been followed; and if he will publish the evidence upon which he bases that judgement.

Jane Ellison: Abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal.
	We expect doctors to take account of guidance from the chief medical officer (CMO), and under the 1967 Abortion Act it is for two doctors to satisfy themselves in good faith that there are grounds for an abortion, and to defend their decision if challenged.
	The Department will continue to monitor birth ratios by mothers' country of birth on an annual basis and also examine other sources of information and evidence. Birth data for the year following the CMO letter of February 2012 have not yet been analysed. Any specific allegations about gender-selective abortions being undertaken will be reported to the police.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients waited longer than four hours to be seen in accident and emergency in each of the first four weeks of January in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: The proportion of patients who have been transferred, admitted or discharged in more than four hours from arrival in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments (all types) in the equivalent weeks in January (weeks 40 to 43) in each of the last five years and the first two weeks of 2013-14 (weeks 40 and 41) is included in the following tables:
	
		
			 Proportion of patients who have been transferred, admitted or discharged in more than four hours from A&E departments (all types) in weeks 40 to 43 from 2008-09 to 2012-13 and weeks 40 and 41 in 2013-14 
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 4 January 2009 11 January 2009 18 January 2009 25 January 2009 
			 2008-09 98 3.4 4.3 4.0 3.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 3 January 2010 10 January 2010 17 January 2010 24 January 2010 
			 2009-10 98 3.2 3.3 2.7 2.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 2 January 2011 9 January 2011 16 January 2011 23 January 2011 
			 2010-11 95 6.6 6.6 4.3 2.8 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 8 January 2012 15 January 2012 22 January 2012 29 January 2012 
			 2011-12 95 5.3 4.1 3.7 4.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 6 January 2013 13 January 2013 20 January 2013 27 January 2013 
			 2012-13 95 7.0 5.3 4.2 5.2% 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage 
			   Week ending 
			 Year A&E performance standard 5 January 2014 12 January 2014 Week ending Week ending 
			 2013-14 95 5.7 5.5 n/a n/a 
			 Source: NHS England weekly SITREPS 
		
	
	For parliamentary questions on A&E it is helpful for context to include Hospital Episode Statistics.
	There are three measures of waiting times in the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for A&E. These are time to assessment; time to treatment; and time to departure. The information requested is shown in the following tables. Information for 2012-13 is not yet available.
	
		
			 Mean and Median duration to assessment1 for attendances at A&E departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 60.8 7 
			 2009-10 76.8 9 
			 2010-11 64.5 10 
			 2011-12 33.1 8 
			 1 Duration to assessment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and their initial assessment in the A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. Note: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: HES, Health and Social Care Information Centre 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and Median duration to treatment1 for attendances at A&E departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 115.6 55 
			 2009-10 102.0 55 
			 2010-11 98.4 58 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 75.4 52 
			 1 Duration to treatment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient began treatment. Note: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: HES, Health and Social Care Information Centre 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and Median duration to departure1 for attendances at accident and emergency departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 136.2 117 
			 2009-10 134.7 122 
			 2010-11 145.7 130 
			 2011-12 138.2 125 
			 1 Duration to departure: This is total amount of time spent in minutes in an A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, dying in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged and referred to another specialist department. Note: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: HES, Health and Social Care Information Centre

Artworks

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what artwork is on display in the offices of each Minister in his Department; and what the estimated value is of each such artwork.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is as follows:
	The Secretary of State for Health (Jeremy Hunt)
	Grey and Red (2), oil on canvas by Yuko Shiraishi
	Afro Lunar Lovers, Giclee print with embossing and hand applied gold leaf, by Chris Ofili
	Waterlines, screen-print, by Richard Long
	Sustenance 101, photograph, by Neeta Madahar
	I've only the friendship of hotel rooms, screen-print, by Patrick Caulfield
	I'll take my life monotonous, screen-print, by Patrick Caulfield
	Her handkerchief swept me along the Rhine, screen-print by Patrick Caulfield
	Ah! storm clouds rushed from the Channel coasts, screen-print, by Patrick Caulfield
	Minister of State (Norman Lamb)
	Sam Johnson DCM, Docker, oil painting by Bernard Hailstone
	Gunner Paul March (Canadian Forces), oil painting by Henry Lamb
	Blakeney Marshes, watercolour by Leonard Russell Squirrell
	Ebb Tide, Wells Next the Sea, Norfolk, watercolour by Leonard Russell Squirrell
	Fécamp Harbour, oil painting by Henry Lamb
	Moonrise on the Zuyderzee, oil painting by Adrian Scott Stokes
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Earl Howe)
	The Highgate Archway from the Turnpike Gate at Holloway, engraving by unknown artist, British 19th century
	The Glorious Victory, obtained over the French Fleet by the British Fleet under the Command of Earl Howe, on the First of June 1794, engraving by James Fittler after Philip James de Loutherbourg
	Description of the Print of Earl Howe's Victory over the French Fleet, June the First, 1794, engraving, after Philip James de Loutherbourg
	Entry to the Strand from Charing Cross from Original Views of London, as it is, lithograph by Thomas Shorter Boys
	A View from Richmond Hill engraving by Charles Theodosius Heath after Thomas Christopher Hofland
	The Horse-Guards from Six Views of London, engraving by Edward Rooker after Michael Angelo Rooker
	Chigwell School, Essex from Public Schools Series, etching and aquatint by Elizabeth Mary Aslin
	The Meadows, Oxford from Oxford and Cambridge Series, lithograph by Edwin La Dell
	William Stukeley (1687-1765) antiquary and natural philosopher, mezzotint by John Smith I after Sir Godfrey Kneller
	Milton Ernest Hall from Victorian Dream Palaces, screenprint by John Piper
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Dr Daniel Poulter)
	Duck Pond in Surrey, lithograph by Edwin La Dell
	Town Hall from New Suite, etching and aquatint by Helena Markson
	Bios, block print by Tadek Beutlich
	Back Garden Geese, linocut by Barbara Robertson
	The Green, Green Grass, etching by June Berry
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Jane Ellison)
	Smooth Hawksbeard, set of etchings on paper by Michael Landy
	Summer, colour etching and aquatint by John Reginald Brunsdon
	Rising Forms, oil on canvas by Graham Bevan
	Diagonal Inclinations, screenprint by David Leverett
	The artworks are on loan from the Government Art Collection. The Collection has advised us that it is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the value of the Government Art Collection or individual works, neither of which have a current market valuation. The current monetary value of a work of art can be accurately assessed only at the time of either purchase or sale or by professional valuation. In the former case, the Collection is not actively traded; in the latter, it would not be justifiable expenditure of public funds to have the whole Collection valued professionally.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Daniel Poulter: The Department occupies three buildings that are owned privately, as follows:
	
		
			 Building Landlord Annual rent costs (£) 
			 Skipton House London and Regional (Skipton House) Limited 6,047,624 
		
	
	
		
			 Premier House Mapeley Beta Acquisition (2) Limited 338,500 
			 Blenheim House Denny Street Properties Limited 646,050 
		
	
	Each of these buildings include occupations by a number of the Department's arm's length bodies.

Proton Beam Therapy

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his policy is on extending access to proton beam therapy on the NHS;
	(2)  for what reasons UK patients are only funded to undergo proton beam therapy in US and not other countries.

Jane Ellison: In April 2012, the Government announced that they had set aside up to £250 million of public capital to be invested by the national health service in building proton beam therapy (PBT) facilities at The Christie hospital in Manchester and University College London Hospital. A competitive process selected these hospitals based on the current understanding of likely activity requirements. It is anticipated that patients will be able to access high energy proton beam therapy PBT in England from 2018.
	English patients are able to access two PBT facilities in America as well as a facility in Villigen, Switzerland. An expert panel chose these centres through a robust selection process that identified only those facilities that met high clinical and technical standards.
	The panel also took into account factors such as accessibility, availability of communication in the English language, experience and established links to other essential clinical services. There is high patient satisfaction with the facilities including both treatment and patient support. In a survey undertaken in 2013, all patients and their families rated the service as 'satisfactory' or ‘highly satisfactory’.

Drugs: Children

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new psychotropic drugs have been licensed for use by children in each year since 2010.

Norman Lamb: Two psychotropic drugs have been licensed for use in children since 2010.

EU Law

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many EU directives his Department has transposed into UK law since 2010; and how many directly acting EU regulations have come into effect in his Department's area of responsibility in the same period.

Daniel Poulter: Details of all European Union legislation, including full details of all EU Directives and Regulations that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Department has transposed all directives in its area of responsibility that have come into force since 2010.

General Practitioners: Fareham

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent general practitioners were employed in general practices in Fareham constituency in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11, (d) 2012-13 and (e) 2013-14 to date.

Daniel Poulter: Information is not available in the format requested. Information that is available is as follows:
	
		
			 General practitioners (GPs) (excluding retainers and registrars) in Hampshire primary care trust (PCT): Full-time equivalents 2008-12 
			   2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 5QC Hampshire PCT 691.3 697.2 717.3 730.7 697.8 
			 Notes: Data as at 30 September for each year. Latest available data as at 30. September 2012. GP workforce figures are not available at constituency level. Fareham constituency was contained within and serviced by Hampshire PCT for the years shown. Data quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Information obtained from the Health and Social Care Information Centre General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Health Services: Learning Disability

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department ensures that health checks carried out annually for people with learning disabilities are given sufficient time and attention to cover the necessary checks; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: NHS England recognises the importance of comprehensive health checks for people with learning disabilities. NHS England commissions annually from general practitioner (GP) practices a “Learning Disability Health Check Scheme.” This scheme is reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Every patient who receives a health check will be provided with a health action plan.
	While the scheme identifies the key requirements that should be incorporated into a health check for people with learning disabilities, NHS England recognises that every patient has different needs and it is essential that the patient, and where appropriate their carer, agrees with their GP or other health care professional what should be covered in the consultation and how much time is required.

Influenza: Vaccination

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on seasonal influenza vaccination public awareness campaigns in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The historic spend on seasonal influenza vaccination public awareness campaigns is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2004-05 1,450,000 
			 2005-06 1,830,000 
			 2006-07 1,100,000 
			 2007-08 980,000 
			 2008-09 1,496,000 
			 2009-10 258,000 
			 2010-11 2,000 
			 2011-12 63,425 
			 2012-13 472,202 
			 2013-14 481,041 
		
	
	Responsibility for the seasonal influenza vaccination public awareness campaign moved to Public Health England on 1 April 2013 along with the other Department of Health public health campaigns.
	Spending on seasonal flu communications reduced in 2009-10, as the swine flu pandemic took precedence in 2009-10 and so the seasonal flu campaign was scaled back in that year.
	The campaigns of 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 have been focused specifically on at risk groups.

Influenza: Vaccination

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many seasonal influenza vaccinations were delivered in (a) the North East and (b) Sunderland in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: Data on the number of seasonal influenza vaccinations administered in primary care to target groups in the North East and Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) have been derived from the Annual Influenza Vaccine Uptake Reports published by Public Health England. The figures are only available from the 2007-08 season onwards. The available information is set out in the following tables:
	
		
			 Influenza vaccine uptake for those aged 65 years and over 
			  Number of vaccines administered 
			  North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Sunderland Teaching PCT 
			 2007-08 330,277 35,205 
			 2008-09 330,510 33,714 
			 2009-10 324,651 35,136 
			 2010-11 326,790 35,849 
			 2011-12 355,706 37,578 
			 2012-13 361,787 38,090 
		
	
	
		
			 Influenza vaccine uptake for those aged under 65 years falling in a clinical risk-group 
			  Number of vaccines administered 
			  North East SHA Sunderland Teaching PCT 
			 2007-08 119,186 13,027 
			 2008-09 125,059 13,809 
			 2009-10 140,133 15,863 
			    
			 2010-11 148,995 16,694 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 153,765 16,605 
			 2012-13 152,766 16,431 
		
	
	
		
			 Influenza vaccine uptake in pregnant women 
			  Number of vaccines administered 
			  North East SHA Sunderland Teaching PCT 
			 2010-11 5,722 486 
			 2011-12 10,052 859 
			 2012-13 12,083 1,087 
			 Note: The under 65 clinical at-risk group data includes pregnant women with other risk factors but excludes otherwise ‘healthy’ pregnant women and carers (from season 2010-11 onwards). Source: Public Health England Influenza Immunisation Vaccine Uptake Monitoring Programme

Meningitis: Vaccination

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce a free-of-charge vaccination programme for children under five for meningococcal B meningitis.

Jane Ellison: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the independent expert committee that advises the Government, has not yet made a final recommendation about the use of the meningococcal B vaccine Bexsero. JCVI is due to report back in March 2014, having reviewed additional evidence at its meeting February 2014. We will respond to any JCVI's recommendations as quickly as possible.

Methylphenidate: West Midlands

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in each primary care trust area in the West Midlands were prescribed methylphenidate hydrochloride in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is not centrally held. Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines, or the number of prescription items dispensed for a specific medicine to patients by age group.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Daniel Poulter: The Department actively encourages its business areas to offer work experience opportunities and is committed to contributing to the development of students by providing placements of this nature. A copy of the Department's work experience policy will be placed in the Library.
	In the main, arrangements for placements are organised and managed at a local level. Information on all such placements is not held centrally and it would incur disproportionate costs to collect all the information requested.
	In line with our corporate diversity agenda, the Department has developed the Building Bridges Programme. The programme provides young people from our local areas with opportunities to experience life in the civil service. There were a total of 19 students (aged 14 to 15 years old) placed within the Department by the Building Bridges initiative in the last three calendar years: four in 2011; seven in 2012 and eight in 2013.
	In addition, the Department takes part in the Civil Service Whitehall Internship Scheme, as part of the Government's Social Mobility Strategy. The scheme was developed in response to a pledge in the coalition agreement to provide internships in every Whitehall Department for people from under-represented groups, with the aim of giving them meaningful work experience in a civil service environment. The Department provided opportunities for seven college-level students, aged 16 and 17, to work in our Whitehall office—three in 2011 and four in 2012.

TREASURY

Credit Unions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of credit unions offering cash ISAs; and if he will take steps to encourage credit unions to provide cash ISAs.

David Gauke: 37 credit unions are currently approved by HM Revenue and Customs to offer cash ISAs.
	Since 2010, the Government have implemented a range of measures to help credit unions compete and grow, including an investment of up to £38 million to March 2015 in its Credit Union Expansion Project. This investment is designed to modernise, expand and strengthen credit unions and help them to meet demand for banking and saving products, such as cash ISA, by providing sustainable financial services for up to one million additional people by 2019.
	More generally, the Government encourage credit unions and other financial institutions to offer ISAs by ensuring these accounts remain attractive to a wide range of savers, and that the administrative and other requirements on ISA providers are proportionate.

Excise Duties: Beer

Liam Fox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the implementation of progressive beer duty in each of the last 10 years.

Nicky Morgan: The difference between the beer duty that would have been collected at the full rate and the reduced rate under progressive beer duty in each of the last 10 years is estimated as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2003-04 -15 
			 2004-05 -15 
			 2005-06 -20 
			 2006-07 -20 
			 2007-08 -20 
			 2008-09 -25 
			 2009-10 -25 
			 2010-11 -30 
			 2011-12 -30 
			 2012-13 -40 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide administrative costs for the scheme as these statistics are not currently separately identified. However, the current overall cost for the collection of alcohol duty in 2012-13 amounts to 0.41 pence for each pound collected.

Excise Duties: Oil

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the need to increase the number of oil terminals designated as duty warehouses; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: Treasury Ministers and officials receive a wide variety of representations from organisations in both the public and private sectors.
	Details of ministerial and Permanent Secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Foreign Companies: Profits

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of the profits generated in the UK and remitted overseas by foreign-owned companies, banks and utilities trading in the UK in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: The Office for National Statistics publishes statistics on cross-border Foreign Direct Investment income flows. These statistics are published quarterly in the Balance of Payments and annually in the Pink Book and Foreign Direct Investment (MA4). These publications are available at these links.

Fracking

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the document referred to in footnote 76 of page 49 of the Autumn Statement 2013, entitled Upstream Insight: UK advances shale gas fiscal incentives, Wood Mackenzie.

Nicky Morgan: This report is currently only available to Wood Mackenzie subscribers, so the Government are unable to place a copy in the Library. Anyone who would like a copy should therefore contact Wood Mackenzie directly.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of fuel sold in (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland that is illicit;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of fuel fraud in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Nicky Morgan: The latest available HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimate shows the proportion of illicit petrol to be negligible in both GB and NI. It estimates illicit diesel in GB at 2% of the diesel market and 12-13% in Northern Ireland.
	Tax gap figures and the associated estimated revenue loss going back to 2003-2004 are published here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-gaps.htm
	With the latest data available for 2011-12 here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-gaps/mtg-2013.pdf
	HMRC fights fraud on a wide range of fronts, from special units performing thousands of roadside checks to raiding laundering plants. HMRC have also recently concluded the evaluation of a possible new marker for rebated fuel, which will make it harder to launder marked fuel and sell it at a profit.

Minimum Wage

David Lammy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investigations there were into national minimum wage compliance from (a) complaints obtained by (i) affected employees and (ii) third parties and (b) information from (A) risk profiling and (B) targeted enforcement action by HM Revenue and Customs (1) in the UK and (2) in London in each year since 1998-99.

David Gauke: The Government take the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where they identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.
	HMRC does not keep data on complaints or the outcomes of its investigations by reference to government regions or country. Its management information relates to the work of teams who are multi-located. Additionally, because it resources to risk, work relating to a specific geographical area is not always done by the NMW team geographically based in that area.
	HMRC has enhanced the range of interventions it makes to investigate employers' compliance with national minimum wage. Enforcement officers investigate individual workers' complaints and may extend their review to include the whole of the employer's work force dependant on the perceived level of risk. While this had reduced the number of cases completed, it has increased the level of assurance gained on employers' compliance with NMW legislation. This approach has led to an increase in the numbers of workers helped which rose by 53% in 2012-13 when compared to 2011-12, although fewer complaints were received.
	The data in the following table relates to cases taken up nationally, as a result of (a) complaints obtained by (i) affected employees and (ii) third parties and (b) information from either risk profiling or targeted enforcement action. Data is not available from 2001-02, and records do not split employee from third party complaints after 2011.
	
		
			  (a) Employee (a) Third party Total (ai + aii) (b) HMRC 
			 2001-02 1,353 369 1,722 3,511 
			 2002-03 1,500 498 1,998 4,513 
			 2003-04 1,440 529 1,969 3,383 
			 2004-05 1,452 494 1,946 3,309 
			 2005-06 1,573 568 2,141 1,869 
			 2006-07 1,738 472 2,210 2,320 
			 2007-08 2,391 841 3,232 1,541 
			 2008-09 2,002 519 2,521 1,973 
			 2009-10 1,722 429 2,151 1,492 
			 2010-11 2,121 184 2,305 596 
			 2011-12 1,461 1,461 1,073 
			 2012-13 1,265 1,265 431 
			 Total   24,921 26,011

Minimum Wage

Mark Reckless: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent steps his Department has taken to improve enforcement of the national minimum wage.

David Gauke: The Government take the enforcement of national minimum wage (NMW) very seriously. HMRC enforce the legislation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and has done so since the introduction of NMW in April 1999. It does that by investigating all complaints made to the free and confidential Pay and Work Rights Helpline about employers suspected of not paying the minimum wage, and in addition carries out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of the minimum wage to workers.
	This Government are cracking down on employers who break the law. Rogue employers who do not pay their workers the minimum wage will face an increased penalty of up to £20,000. The Prime Minister has announced that his Government will increase the financial penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the unpaid wages owed to workers, and that the maximum penalty will increase from £5,000 to £20,000. Regulations introducing these new limits are subject to parliamentary approval and are expected to be in force in February 2014. The Government will also bring in primary legislation as soon as possible so that the maximum £20,000 penalty can apply to each underpaid worker.
	This Government have also made it simpler to name and shame employers who break NMW law. The revised BIS NMW Naming and Shaming scheme came into effect on 1 October 2013 and are part of Government efforts to toughen up enforcement of the NMW and increase compliance. By naming and shaming employers it is hoped that bad publicity will be an additional deterrent to employers who would otherwise be tempted not to pay the NMW. This is on top of the financial penalties which employers already face if they fail to pay NMW. We anticipate that the first cases will be made public very soon. HMRC works across Government in task forces with other agencies, local authorities, UKBA, and the police with the specific objective of maximising visibility and impact. Successful targeted campaigns have been run across sectors such as high street fashion, interns and social care. In addition Employment Agency staff have been seconded to HMRC specifically to tackle NMW non-compliance by employment agencies and intermediaries.

Non-Domestic Rates: Power Stations

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes in business rates for power stations have been made in the last three months; and on what date those changes were published.

David Gauke: There have been no business rates policy changes aimed solely at power stations made within the past three months.

Retail Trade: Overseas Visitors

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage overseas visitors to shop in UK stores.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The GREAT Campaign promotes Britain in key global markets. The GREAT campaign is centred on Britain's strengths such as Culture, Heritage, and Technology. Shopping is GREAT is part of the GREAT campaign. Shopping is GREAT consists of creative and inspirational images of British shopping centres and retail businesses that aim to promote Britain as a desirable location to shoppers both at home and abroad.
	The UK now has record levels of spend by inbound visitors. The latest forecast by VisitBritain estimates that there will have been a record spend of around £20.6 billion by overseas visitors in 2013.
	The recent HMRC consultation on the VAT refund scheme, the outcome of which is due to be announced later this year, is aimed at making it easier for foreign visitors to obtain VAT refund in the UK.
	The Home Office constantly reviews the visa regime to attract more visitors to the UK. In October 2013 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a pilot scheme allowing trusted Chinese tour operators to make joint applications for UK and Schengen area visas on a single form. It is hoped that this simplification will lead to increased numbers of Chinese tourists visiting the UK alongside other European destinations.
	Also, on the 1 January 2014 a new visa waiver scheme was launched, making it cheaper and easier for business travellers and tourists to visit the UK from Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
	In addition, the Government are working with retail, property, business, academia, third sector and civil society organisations to enable high streets and town centres to become more vibrant and attractive destinations for all.

Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs officers are currently employed in Northern Ireland.

David Gauke: HMRC employed the following number of staff in Northern Ireland at 31 December 2013:
	Headcount: 1,856
	Full-time equivalent: 1,648.78.

Shares

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on the proportion of shares by value owned by individuals in other (a) EU member states and (b) G20 countries.

Nicky Morgan: The Office for National Statistics publishes information on share ownership in the UK annually. International organisations such as the OECD and EU compile some information on share holdings for other countries. Table 1 shows household sector holdings of shares and other equity as a proportion of total household sector financial assets for OECD countries.
	
		
			 Table 1: Household sector share ownership 
			  Shares and other equity, percentage of total financial assets 
			 Australia 10.5 
			 Austria 21.7 
			 Belgium 31.2 
			 Canada 35.5 
			 Chile 26.4 
			 Czech Republic 25.5 
			 Denmark 29.1 
			 Estonia 68.9 
			 Finland 40.1 
			 France 24.5 
			 Germany 18.8 
			 Greece 8.9 
			 Hungary 35.6 
			 Ireland 17.7 
			 Israel 25.5 
			 Italy 29.7 
			 Japan 10.8 
			 Korea 20.1 
			 Luxembourg 22.4 
			 Netherlands 12.9 
			 Norway 13.2 
			 Poland 27.4 
			 Portugal 27.4 
			 Slovak Republic 7.6 
			 Slovenia 29.8 
			 Spain 28.9 
			 Sweden 39.7 
			 Switzerland 20.3 
			 United Kingdom 15.3 
			 United States 43.4

Taxation: Business

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many unresolved tax enquiries there were in the Large Business Service in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date;
	(2)  how many unresolved tax enquiries in the Large Business Service are (a) one year old and (b) more than three years old.

David Gauke: HMRC's Large Business Service deals with the tax affairs of the 800 or so largest businesses in the UK. HMRC's approach has enabled it to recover around £23 billion in additional compliance revenues from large businesses, including those dealt with by Large Business Service, between April 2010 and March 2013.
	The number of tax risks under inquiry in the Large Business Service at the relevant dates were:
	
		
			 As at 31 March: Number 
			 2009 2,477 
			 2010 3,230 
			 2011 2,721 
			 2012 2,375 
			 2013 2,314 
		
	
	The Large Business Service aims to deal with complex risks quickly. In 2012-13, it reached a decision on 82% of risks within 18 months.

Taxation: Business

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  with which companies the Large Business Service currently works;
	(2)  with how many companies the Large Business Service worked in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.

David Gauke: HMRC's Large Business Service has responsibility for dealing with the tax affairs of the largest businesses in the UK, broadly groups of companies and professional firms with a turnover of £600 million or above, or assets of £2 billion or more.
	HMRC's approach has enabled it to recover around £23 billion in additional compliance revenues from large businesses, including those dealt with by Large Business Service, between April 2010 and March 2013. The current number of businesses dealt with by the Large Business Service is 813, this is 53 more than in 2009-10.
	
		
			  Total number of businesses dealt with by the LBS 
			 2008-09 771 
			 2009-10 760 
			 2010-11 778 
			 2011-12 783 
			 2012-13 803

Taxation: Self-Assessment

David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet Google to discuss the profits that company makes from copycat websites which charge for the tax return service and appear above Government Department and agency websites in search results; and if he will highlight to them the importance of taking steps to ensure that websites with the .gov.uk domain are used solely for these services.

David Gauke: HMRC takes customer confidence in their online services very seriously. Ministers have asked a cross-government group which HMRC is part of to work with Google to try and mitigate the risks posed by copycat websites to our customers.

Tobacco Packaging

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what analysis he has commissioned of the economic effects of the introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco products;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging on the intellectual property rights of tobacco brands; and if he will estimate the cost of any compensation arising from such a proposal and its effect on intellectual property rights.

Jane Ellison: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	The Department published a consultation-stage impact assessment alongside “the Consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products” in April 2012. This set out information on the likely costs and benefits if standardised packaging were to be introduced and invited respondents to submit additional relevant information. A copy of the assessment has already been placed in the Library.
	The Government will consider the wider issues raised by standardised tobacco packaging, including the economic aspects and potential impact on intellectual property, before making a final decision on this policy.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Nicky Morgan: The Treasury participates in the Social Mobility Foundation's two week residential work experience programme for young people from lower income backgrounds. This scheme is run across the civil service by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Treasury has hosted work experience placements for seven young people in the last three years. This scheme is for A-level students aged 16 to 17-years-old. There is an open and transparent application process and costs are met by the host Departments.
	Informal work experience is hosted by Treasury officials for young people under and over 16 years old but numbers are not held centrally.

CABINET OFFICE

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office occupies 35 Great Smith Street and Rosebery Court under leases held directly by the Cabinet Office with private landlords. Both properties were rented before May 2010.
	Our work to rationalise the Government's property estate has resulted in the disposal of 401 buildings in 2012-13, saving the taxpayer £620 million last year alone.

Debt

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the change in the aggregate household debt in the UK was between 1 July 2010 and 1 July 2013.

Nick Hurd: holding answer 22 January 2014
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson dated January 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking what the change in the aggregate household debt in the UK was between 1 July 2010 and 1 July 2013 (183676).
	The Office for National Statistics publishes details of the financial liabilities of the household sector. This combines information for households and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH). It also includes unincorporated businesses, which tend to be family businesses with no liability to shareholders.
	The most recent analyses can be found in table A64 of (the United Kingdom Economic Accounts (UKEA) 2013 Q3, published on 20 December 2013. The UKEA is available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/naa1-rd/united-kingdom-economic-accounts/q3-2013/index.html
	These data are produced quarterly; therefore the month of July is covered in our July-September (Q3) period. I have therefore included data on this period for both years in your request.
	Total financial liabilities in 2013 Q3 were £1,549.5 billion compared to £1,532.4 billion in 2010 Q3.

Employment: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people in Portsmouth South constituency were employed in the (a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of people in Portsmouth South constituency were employed in the (a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last three years. (183392)
	Employment statistics for local areas are calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. In the APS the distinction between public and private sector is based on respondents' views about the organisation for which they work. The public sector estimates provided do not correspond to official Public Sector Employment estimates. Those are derived directly from employers and are based on a National Accounts' definition and are not available for areas smaller than regions.
	Table 1 shows the percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years, who were employed in the public or private sector along with those who were unemployed or inactive, resident in Portsmouth South constituency. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period July 2012 to June 2013, the latest period available, and the 12 month periods ending in June from 2011 to 2012. It should be noted that the estimates also include a small number of respondents who have not provided enough information to be accurately classified and have been split between public and private sector on a pro rata basis.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years employed in the public and private sectors1, resident in Portsmouth South 
			 Percentage 
			  Employed  
			 12 months ending: Public1 Private1 Unemployed or inactive 
			 June 2011 19.7 44.7 35.5 
			 June 2012 17.3 46.5 36.2 
			 June 2013 17.2 48.0 34.9 
			 ‘-’ = Not available. 1 Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. A small number of respondents who have not provided enough information to be accurately classified have been split between public or private sector on a pro rata basis. Note: Components may not add to 100% due to rounding. Source: Annual Population Survey

EU Law

John Redwood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many EU directives his Department has transposed into UK law since 2010; and how many directly acting EU regulations have come into effect in his Department's area of responsibility in the same period.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office has transposed two EU directives into UK law since 2010 and six directly applicable regulations have come into effect in the Cabinet Office’s area of responsibility in the same period.

Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each such contract following the contract award.

Francis Maude: As part of my Department's transparency programme, it has been Cabinet Office policy since January 2011 to publish details of all contracts with a value of £10,000 or more on Contracts Finder:
	www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
	In addition, Cabinet Office expenditure over £25,000, is published at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
	Cabinet Office hold a review meeting after the first month from award and then on a quarterly basis for all departmental contracts. Contracts are monitored throughout the life of the contract with performance and delivery discussed at review meetings.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in No. 10 Downing Street in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in the Deputy Prime Minister's Office in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Francis Maude: The Prime Minister’s Office and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Offices are an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	Since 1 April 2011, the Cabinet Office has provided 38 work experience placements. These placements include 29 work experience placements for young people aged between 18 to 24 years old as part of the Work programme and nine Whitehall Social Mobility Internship programme placements for Year 12 college level students aged between 16 and 17 years old.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Michael Penning: Since 1998 the Department occupies the majority of its accommodation under a private finance initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract. Under the terms of the PFI the Department sold all its freehold property interests to its private sector partner, Telereal Trillium. At the same time, all leases held by the Department were assigned to the contractor. Telereal Trillium are therefore in effect our landlord for every site, though the tenancy is held through the contract, rather than through a traditional lease arrangement.
	In return, the Department pays Telereal Trillium a monthly all-inclusive unitary charge—known as the Facility Price—for each site. This covers all rent, business rates, other property charges, a wide range of building facilities, equipment and, maintenance services, plus all real estate and professional property costs. It is not possible to itemise the rent element of the Facilities Price separately, for individual buildings, from all the other services provided.
	In the year ending 31 March 2013, the total Facilities Price paid to Telereal Trillium amounted to £627,910,978. This includes costs for any other Government Departments, Government bodies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) housed within the Department's estate.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what date the Child Maintenance Service self-service portal for parents using the collect and pay service will be fully operational.

Steve Webb: We plan to launch the service in 2014. We are currently undertaking the final stages of testing of the self-service portal with view to making this operational once this assurance phase has concluded. The specific date of the launch has not yet been agreed.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that social housing tenants liable for the under-occupancy penalty are assisted in downsizing.

Esther McVey: The Government have made it easier for all social tenants to downsize to more suitable accommodation by increasing mobility, through changes to the housing allocation rules in the Localism Act 2011 and the introduction of HomeSwap Direct, the national mutual exchange scheme.
	Statutory social housing allocations guidance for local authorities issued in June 2012 advises them of the importance of giving existing social tenants who are under-occupying their accommodation appropriate priority for a transfer.
	This year the Government have made available £180 million in discretionary housing payment funding, which local authorities can use to help claimants in the process of moving to more suitably sized accommodation. In addition local authorities received a share of £10 million in transitional funding that can be used to support people to move.

Occupational Pensions

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish his response to the consultation on Better Workplace Pensions: a consultation on charging, Cm 8738.

Steve Webb: We remain committed to making sure pension savers get good value for money. The consultation on charging closed on 28 November last year, and received 166 written responses. This is an important and complex consultation that requires our proper consideration to ensure we get it right. There will be a written statement on this subject tomorrow, and we will confirm the publication date in due course.

Social Fund

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria his Department uses to assess the viability of local authority Social Fund schemes.

Steve Webb: There are no local authority Social Fund schemes. However, the Department will be carrying out a review about the way local authorities have used the funding provided following the abolition of the discretionary Social Fund. We are still making arrangements with local authorities about the review and a copy of the findings will be placed in the House Library.

Social Rented Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent meetings officials in his Department have held with representatives of HomeSwapper.

Esther McVey: DWP officials met with representatives of HomeSwapper on 10 October 2013 to discuss mutual exchanges for people affected by the removal of the spare room subsidy.

Social Security Benefits

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will review the statutory provisions of local authorities to include local welfare schemes.

Steve Webb: There are no statutory provisions of local authorities to include local welfare schemes. However, it has always been our intention to carry out a review about the way local authorities have used the funding provided following the abolition of the discretionary Social Fund and we are making arrangements with local authorities regarding this. A copy of the findings will be placed in the House Library.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers received a sanction from Jobcentre Plus in each of the last five years; and how many such sanctions were initiated by a report from a private-sector provider.

Esther McVey: The information available is detailed in Table 1.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of individuals with an adverse jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanction decision Great Britain: 1 January 2008 to 21 October 2012 
			 Year of decision Number 
			 2008 276,580 
			 2009 356,580 
			 2010 493,870 
			 2011 482,930 
			 2012 474,760 
			 Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database 
		
	
	Although the number of individuals has increased since 2008, Table 2 shows that there is a consistency of between 10% and 15% of those claiming JSA who receive a sanction.
	
		
			 Table 2: The number of individuals who had a jobseekers allowance sanction applied in Great Britain in each of the last five financial years and the estimated percentage of the total number of individuals claiming JSA: 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2012 
			 Year of decision (April to March) Number of individuals with a JSA sanction applied Percentage of the total number of individuals claiming JSA 
			 2007-08 254,670 12 
		
	
	
		
			 2008-09 287,830 10 
			 2009-10 388,200 11 
			 2010-11 528,700 15 
			 2011-12 473,210 14 
			 Notes: 1. Please note that the estimated proportions are derived from unpublished information which have not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards. They should therefore be treated with caution. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. JSA claimants who have had more than one sanction applied during the annual period will only be counted once in the figures above. However, totals will include individuals who have had a sanction applied for more than one annual period, e.g. if an individual had a sanction applied in 2008 and in 2010 then they will appear in both of these periods. 4. The total number of individuals claiming JSA in a year is all those people who had a live JSA claim at any point during the year and is not the same as the claimant count, which gives the number of claimants receiving JSA on a set date. 5. The number of sanctions applied is the number of Varied, Fixed Length and Entitlement Decision sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 6. Year of Decision: The year in which the decision on the sanction referral was made. The year 2012 only includes data up to and including 21 October, which this is the latest data covered by the old sanctions regime. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database and National Benefits Database 
		
	
	The information on the new sanctions regime for each type of sanction, from 22 October 2012 to 30 June 2013 is published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/255568/sanctions-nov2013-update-2.xls
	The information requested on the number of sanctions initiated by a private-sector provider is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Immigrants

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the data his Department holds on the number of immigrants who have claimed benefits within three months of registering for a national insurance number in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey: The information you requested is not readily available but the Department for Work and Pension does publish information on non-UK nationals who claim working age benefits within six months of registering for a national insurance number.
	I have asked DWP statisticians to recommend the best option for producing statistics on benefit claiming within three months from registration as part of our normal publication schedule. We will keep users informed about the agreed approach via an update to the Department's statistics web pages.

Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department received about the cost of telephone calls made by members of the public to officials in his Department in each of the last five years.

Esther McVey: DWP completed the incremental roll-out of a new complaints process in December 2012. Complaints are now recorded against various standard DWP categories and related sub-categories. However, there is no specific sub-category for recording complaints regarding costs of telephone calls from members of the public to officials in DWP, so no data are available relating to this.

Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average cost of a telephone call from a member of the public to his Department.

Esther McVey: DWP currently use 0800 and 0845 numbers for its helpline services.
	It is free to call the Department's 0800 benefit claim line numbers from all major landline providers and seven of the UK's largest mobile telephone operators—02, Everything Everywhere, Vodafone, Three, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Cable and Wireless. 28% of all call minutes to our helplines are covered by these 0800 numbers.
	For our inquiry lines we currently use 0845 numbers and these calls will attract a charge if not covered by the available minutes within a customer's call plan. Not all call plans cover 0845 numbers.
	When charges apply, the cost from a landline call to any 0845 number varies by supplier from 1p to 10.5p per minute and from a mobile from 12p to 41p per minute. Similarly when charges apply, the cost from a landline call to an 0345 number varies from 2p to 10p per minute and from a mobile from 10p to 40p per minute.
	Based on an August 2013 customer survey on some of our main 0845 helplines we found that 20% of callers who could be charged were covered by inclusive minute within call plans. We also assessed that adding alternative 0345 numbers would increase the number of callers who could avoid call charges to an estimated 47%. By offering both 0345 and 0845 numbers we also increase the opportunity to reduce the call charges when they apply.
	Assuming a typical call duration of six minutes we currently estimate the average cost of a call to be 24p. This takes account of the free calls provided by this Department, 0800 benefit claim lines, customer access phones in our buildings and 0845 calls where the call is covered by inclusive minutes within call plans. This average cost will reduce further when 0345 numbers are introduced.

Work Capability Assessment

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account is taken of potential health and safety issues when declaring known drug or alcohol addicts as being fit for work; and what liability his Department has for subsequent problems.

Michael Penning: The work capability assessment considers the functional impact of a claimant's condition, rather than the condition itself. The question of whether a claimant has limited capability for work is assessed against descriptors set out in legislation.
	There may be some exceptional cases where a claimant does not meet the functional descriptors set out in legislation, but there would be a substantial risk to their (or someone else's) mental or physical health if they were not found to have limited capability for work. In such cases, regulation 29(2)(b) of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008 provides that a claimant is to be treated as having limited capability for work if there is such a risk and the risk could not be reduced by a significant amount by reasonable adjustments in the claimant's workplace.
	In general, where there is a statutory regime which provides for appeal rights, acts of public administration do not give rise to any duty of care. Consequently, neither Atos health care professionals nor departmental decision makers could be held liable for any adverse consequence suffered by a claimant (or third party) following a decision that the claimant does not have limited capability for work. The decision-making process is an act of public administration, and there is an appeal right against the decision in question.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Clothing and Textiles: Qualifications

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the range of qualifications available for the study of fashion and textiles.

Matthew Hancock: Each qualification is developed with employer and sector support as part of its accreditation on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
	Qualifications on the QCF are all subject to Ofqual regulations, and awarding organisations that offer them are subject to Ofqual's formal General Conditions of Recognition.

Further Education: Qualifications

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Skills Funding Agency on the number of qualifications that have been removed in the last three years.

Matthew Hancock: The Skills Funding Agency has implemented a process to review the demand from employers and learners for qualifications approved for public funding. This annual review has taken place twice—looking at the demand for qualifications available for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 funding years. These reviews form part of the process the agency operates on my behalf for approving qualifications for public funding for adults, and ensuring that qualifications that the Government fund are high quality and have high demand. BIS officials have been involved in and kept up to date on this work as have Department for Education officials. In addition I have received updates directly from the agency on this work.
	Over the last two funding years (2012-13 and 2013-14) the agency will have removed nearly 3,000 qualifications from public funding which either have no use or very low use. In each case the agency has taken account of where the qualifications may be specialist or where they have been designed for a certain group of learners. The agency has also put in place a process for low demand qualifications to re-enter public funding where there is evidence of demand growing.

Higher Education: Finance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the Resource Accounting and Budgeting charge for each cohort of students entering university from 2005 to 2012.

David Willetts: holding answer 21 January 2014
	The figures asked for are not published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as they are not available from our modelling. BIS models the RAB charge by the year in which the loan is taken out, rather than by cohort of students entering university. The simplified loan repayment model, which is published on our website, has recently been updated with the latest OBR forecasts:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simplified-student-loan-repayment-model
	BIS will carry out an analysis using the simplified loan repayment model. This analysis will estimate:
	1. A simulated RAB charge for loans issued to students starting courses in each of the years 2005-12.
	2. The estimate for loans issued to borrowers starting in 2012 will be under the post-Browne repayment system.
	The results of this analysis will be deposited in the Library of the House.

Higher Education: Private Sector

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2013, Official Report, column 821W, on higher education: private sector, how many students who had their loans halted in the academic year 2013-14 to date were from (a) Romania and (b) Bulgaria.

David Willetts: holding answer 21 January 2014
	The numbers of students from Romania and Bulgaria at Alternative Providers, who have applied for student support on the basis they were resident in the UK for three years prior to the start of their course and had subsequently had their student support suspended in academic year 2013/14, are:
	(a) Romania—4,773
	(b) Bulgaria—882

Higher Education: Private Sector

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2013, Official Report, column 821W, on higher education: private sector, how many students who had their loans halted in the academic year 2013-14 to date were from (a) the UK, (b) other EU countries and (c) countries outside the EU.

David Willetts: holding answer 21 January 2014
	The numbers of students at Alternative Providers who have had their student support suspended in academic year 2013/14 are currently as follows:
	(a) UK—1,114
	(b) All other EU countries—10,512
	(c) Countries outside the EU—0

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 13 November 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr A. Ali.

Jennifer Willott: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills responded to this letter on 3 December 2013.

Research: Misconduct

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many non-medical scientists have been found to have committed research misconduct in the last 30 years.

David Willetts: The Government are committed to maintaining the highest standards of propriety in publicly funded research.
	For example, Research Councils UK, as signatories to the Universities UK Concordat to support research integrity, expects all individuals engaged in research-including researchers themselves, support staff, managers and administrators-to abide by its principles and foster a supportive and open environment.
	While the Research Councils (RCs) do not have records for the past 30 years, RCs have identified recent non-medical cases as follows:
	
		
			  Cases identified 
			 AHRC 1— 
			 BBSRC 20 
			 EPSRC 24 
			 ESRC 20 
			 MRC 22 
			 NERC 20 
			 STFC 1— 
			 1 No recent cases identified. 2 Since 2010. Note: Figures for non-medical scientists identified by the Medical Research Council are those cases which have not been investigated separately by medical regulators. 
		
	
	RCs are only made aware of research misconduct if a case is passed to them by an HEI which has been unable to resolve a case with the researcher in question, RCs are not responsible for investigating cases sector-wide. It is the responsibility of Higher Education Institutes (HEI) to investigate research misconduct among their employees. HEFCE ensure that HEIs have adequate policies and procedures that are adhered to, and have recently formalised that arrangement through financial memorandums.

Student Loans

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value is of (a) tuition and (b) maintenance student loans currently issued; and what proportion of such loans he estimates will be unrecoverable.

David Willetts: BIS accounts published as at 31 March 2013 show total outstanding student loans of £45.7 billion with a carrying value of £30.7 billion. Loans outstanding are not split between tuition and maintenance.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bis-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013
	(Table on page 197)

UK Trade & Investment

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to assess the return on investment from Government funding of UK Trade & Investment West Midlands.

Michael Fallon: Monitoring evidence about the financial benefits generated by UKTI trade services is gathered quarterly through the Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS).
	This evidence is supplemented by a rolling programme of independent evaluation using a range of methodologies. For more information on how UKTI calculates the benefits derived from its activity please see Annex B of the UK Trade & Investment annual report and accounts:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1314/hc00/0024/0024.pdf
	Annual cost data of UKTI trade and investment activities is published on the UKTI annual report (see link above).
	PIMS results published at the end of September 2013, based on data derived from services delivered in the 2012-13 financial year, reported estimated total benefits of £50.9 billion in terms of additional sales or £5.2 billion in terms of additional profit attributed by UKTI clients to the support received. The overall cost for the 2012-13 financial year (admin and programme spend) was £236 million. Combining the overall benefits reported by companies supported with the total UKTI costs yields a benefit cost ratio of £22:1 for all UKTI trade services in 2012-13. The rolling programme of evaluation evidence yields similar results.
	Breakdowns of the benefits data at the regional level are not available.

UK Trade & Investment

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to invest in a new UK Trade & Investment office in Shrewsbury to support local Shropshire businesses rather than maintaining one office in Birmingham for the whole of the West Midlands.

Michael Fallon: There are currently six teams of UKTI International Trade Advisers (ITAs) based within the Chambers of Commerce across the West Midlands. This includes advisers based in Shropshire at the Chamber of Commerce in Telford. There is also a drop-in centre for the ITAs in Shrewsbury. From 1 April 2014 it is Shropshire Chambers intention to move the drop-in centre to the Food Enterprise Centre at Battlefield Business Park Shrewsbury, where ITAs will be available on specific days to support businesses on site.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Jennifer Willott: The Department has put clear guidance in place for managers in BIS to enable them to offer unpaid “work experience” opportunities through the civil service jobs website. The Department does not hold information centrally on the numbers or the detail for any work experience opportunities arranged directly by managers in the Department and only obtain it could at disproportionate cost.
	The Department continues to demonstrate a commitment to work experience and social mobility through its participation in central Government schemes such as the two-week summer ‘Whitehall Internship Programme’ when in August 2013, some 30 work experience students from that programme joined BIS. The Department is also actively working with DFE in the development of a pilot ‘Traineeship’ programme to offer work experience placements.

EDUCATION

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Elizabeth Truss: Since May 2010 the Department for Education has reduced the size of its estate from 30 properties under the previous Government, at a cost of circa £51 million per annum, to just 12 properties costing circa £34 million per annum. This is a saving of circa £17 million per annum. The Department plans to reduce the size of the estate further, to just six properties. During 2014 the Department will vacate Trust Court, realise additional sublet income to offset rental costs of Earlsdon Park and transfer surplus space in Piccadilly Gate to another Government Department. These activities will achieve further savings to the Department of circa £600,000 per annum. The Department also plans to vacate Sanctuary Buildings at lease expiry in 2017.
	The Department for Education currently occupies six properties which are owned or part-owned privately. These are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Property Landlord Annual rent (£) 
			 Sanctuary Buildings, Central London Tishman Speyer Properties Limited 12,360,000.00 
		
	
	
		
			 Earlsdon Park, Coventry MCD Coventry Limited 1,453,561.20 
			 Piccadilly Gate, Manchester London and Continental Railways Limited 1,211,561.00 
			 Trust Court, Histon Mill Farm Partnership 138,967.20 
			 St Paul's Place, Sheffield St Paul's Place Management Company Limited 1Peppercorn 
			 National College, Nottingham University of Nottingham 1Peppercorn 
			 1 A peppercorn rent represents a nominal consideration to satisfy the legal requirements for creation of a contract.

Further Education: Finance

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the research commissioned by the Association of Colleges on the effect of the reduction in funding for 18 year olds on students from disadvantaged areas and Black, minority and ethnic students.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Education has published its own impact assessment which is based on a complete analysis of the Individualised Learner Records submitted by colleges, whereas the Association of Colleges' research was based on a partial analysis. The Department for Education's impact assessment can be found here:
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/i/impact%20assessment.pdf

Pupil Premium Plus

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on extending the pupil premium plus to school children adopted before December 2005.

David Laws: The criteria for the pupil premium are reviewed on an annual basis and the Government will, as part of this process, carefully consider the decision to link eligibility to adoptions under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (implemented on 30 December 2005).
	The decision to link eligibility to adoptions under 2002 Act for the 2014-15 financial year was to ensure consistency with the policy on priority school admissions for children adopted from care, and respond to the need to balance competing funding priorities during the current difficult economic climate.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many SEN students achieved the expected level in English and mathematics at Key Stage 2 in each of the last five years; how these figures compare to the national average in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: The tables show information on the number of special educational needs (SEN) pupils achieving the expected levels in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 from 2009 to 2012.
	Due to changes in the national curriculum assessment arrangements this information is not available beyond 2012. From 2013, pupils had to achieve the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics.
	The Government are committed to closing attainment gaps between children with SEN and their peers. Through the draft SEN Code of Practice, which we recently consulted on, we are ensuring children with SEN have their needs identified as early as possible, so the right support can be put in place. The Code of Practice sets out clear guidance for schools on the process for appropriate identification, assessment, monitoring and securing further support for children with SEN. It also challenges schools to improve the quality of teaching and learning for all pupils, rather than inappropriately labelling pupils as having SEN. The new SEN Code of Practice is due to come into force from September 2014.
	
		
			 Number and proportion of pupils achieving the expected level in English1 and mathematics at Key Stage 2 by special educational needs (SEN), years: 2009 to 2012 (final)2, coverage: England, state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs) 
			  2009 2010 
			 SEN Provision Number of eligible pupils Number of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics Percentage of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics Number of eligible pupils Number of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics Percentage of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics 
			 No identified SEN 423,708 363,209 86 304,479 265,717 87 
			 All SEN pupils 141,334 44,221 31 103,206 34,634 34 
			 SEN without a statement 123,348 41,837 34 89,395 32,808 37 
			 School Action 79,470 30,436 38 56,927 23,489 41 
			 School Action + 43,878 11,401 26 32,468 9,319 29 
			 SEN with a statement 17,986 2,384 13 13,811 1,826 13 
			 Unclassified3 2,018 908 45 983 427 43 
			        
			 All pupils 567,060 408,338 72 408,668 300,778 74 
		
	
	
		
			  2011 2012 
			 SEN Provision Number of eligible pupils Number of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics Percentage of pupils achieving expected level in English and mathematics Number of eligible pupils Number of pupils achieving expected level in English1 and mathematics Percentage of pupils achieving expected level in English1 and mathematics 
			 No identified SEN 407,774 356,345 87 406,185 370,497 91 
			 All SEN pupils 137,189 48,627 35 129,860 55,489 43 
			 SEN without a statement 119,943 46,049 38 113,045 52,618 47 
			 School Action 75,865 32,397 43 70,385 36,277 52 
			 School Action + 44,078 13,652 31 42,660 16,341 38 
			 SEN with a statement 17,246 2,578 15 16,815 2,871 17 
			 Unclassified3 1,892 907 48 1,217 501 41 
			        
			 All pupils 546,855 405,879 74 537,262 426,487 79 
			 1 In 2012, English was calculated from reading test results and writing teacher assessment rather than from reading and writing tests as in previous years. English in 2012 is, therefore, not comparable to previous years. 2 Figures for all years are based on final data. Figures are lower in 2010 as around 26% of the 15,518 maintained schools that were expected to administer the key stage 2 tests did not do so. The schools that did administer the test in 2010 are broadly representative of all schools at national level. 3 Includes pupils for whom SEN provision could not be determined. Source: National Pupil Database

Vocational Training

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many small and medium-sized enterprises have offered placements to people aged 16 to 23 as part of the Traineeship Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	We are currently working towards a reliable estimate of learners on the Traineeship programme and hence on the number of employer workplaces. We are working with providers to ensure that they are following the guidance and will publish information in due course.

Vocational Training

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the quality assurance auditing process for the new Traineeship Programme is; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: The Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency operate a robust and transparent audit process that is jointly agreed and published. This applies to all of their funded provision, including the delivery of traineeships. The details can be read in the agencies' Joint Audit Code of Practice, Part 1. A copy has been placed in the House Library.
	Traineeship providers are subject to normal Ofsted inspection arrangements. To ensure a high quality start to the programme, in 2013-14 only providers who have achieved an Ofsted rating of Outstanding or Good can deliver traineeships.

World War I: Education

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to amend the provisions of the National Curriculum on (a) the causes of the First World War, (b) the quality of British generalship and (c) the reputation of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig of Bemersyde; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: Teaching about the first world war is covered in the new national curriculum programme of study for history at key stage 3, which will be taught from September 2014. The programme of study requires that pupils understand that different versions of past events may exist and why this is so. It is for schools to decide how they teach and what resources they use to support teaching of the first world war.

Young People: Unemployment

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 16 to 18-year-olds were not in education, employment or training in (a) England and (b) each local authority area in the East Midlands in the latest year for which figures are available.

Matthew Hancock: Definitive national estimates of participation in education, training and employment for young people aged 16 to 18 are published by the Department for Education in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June.
	These estimates cannot be broken down to local authority level. However, local authorities collect information on 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in each local authority area in England. This information is published annually on the Department's website1, although the quality of the data is dependent on the local data collection arrangements.
	1http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/neet/a0064101/16--to-18-year-olds-not-in-education,-employment-or-training

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Syria: Humanitarian Support

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to improve the co-ordination of humanitarian support for Syria and the surrounding region.

Justine Greening: I have pushed to improve the leadership and co-ordination of the humanitarian response, including by convening high level discussions of the key agencies and donors, most recently last month in Brussels. The UK undertook an ambitious lobbying strategy ahead of the Pledging Conference in Kuwait last week, to ensure a successful outcome.

Aid: Gaza

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the adequacy of food and medical supplies entering Gaza daily.

Alan Duncan: The decrease in the level of fuel entering Gaza in recent months and the rising price of food are exacerbating the already precarious humanitarian situation caused by restrictions on the movement of goods and people and the devastation of the winter storms.

Palestinians: Jordan

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid the Government are giving to displaced Palestinians in Jordan.

Alan Duncan: The UK provides funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) General Fund to support their work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. We also provided an additional £2.2 million to UNRWA to support Palestine refugees from Syria in Jordan.

Scotland

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the potential effect on her Department’s policies of Scotland becoming independent.

Justine Greening: The UK Government's position is clear: Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within the UK. I am committed to delivering the best possible aid programme for the whole of the UK. It is clear to me that our UK Aid programme and Scotland's role within that works better together than it will apart.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which buildings occupied by her Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Alan Duncan: DFID occupies two buildings in the UK, one in Whitehall, London and the other in East Kilbride. We hold the leasehold on both properties and no rent is paid.

Burma

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any (a) rice and (b) other humanitarian aid stolen by Burmese Army soldiers in the Nam Lin Pa Internally Displaced Person camp in Kachin State, Burma, in November 2013 was supplied by any agency or organisation funded by her Department.

Alan Duncan: DFID-funded rice was in the process of being delivered to the Nam Lim Pa Internally Displaced Person camp when armed conflict broke out there. Since the violence, our partner NGO has not had access to the camp. They have retrieved over half of the rice from nearby areas.

Developing Countries: Dementia

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken relating to the effect of dementia on developing countries to support the Prime Minister's Dementia Challenge and the Dementia Summit.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government supports the improvement of dementia care through increased provision of all basic health services for the poor. In 2012-13 the UK provided over £1 billion in bilateral health aid, supporting work to strengthen health systems and health activities in 34 countries.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will increase her Department's support to the health systems of developing countries to help reduce migration of health workers from the developing world.

Justine Greening: In 2012-13 the UK provided over £1 billion in bilateral health aid, supporting work to strengthen health systems and deliver health programmes including the development of health work force capacity.
	The UK is a signatory to both the Commonwealth and the World Health Organization Codes of Conduct on Health Worker Recruitment.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the November 2013 report by the World Health Organisation entitled A Universal Truth: No Health Without a Workforce.

Justine Greening: DFID officials were part of the steering committee which reviewed the World Health Organisations report entitled ‘A Universal Truth: No Health Without a Workforce’, which was presented at the Third Global Forum of the Global Health Workforce Alliance.

North Korea

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) food aid and (b) other aid her Department gave to North Korea in the most recent period for which figures are available; and how much aid has been given to North Korea in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme in North Korea.
	For the last five years for which figures are available DFID’s share of funding contributions through multilateral agencies to North Korea is estimated at: 2007-08, £1,361,000; 2008-09, £935,000; 2009-10, £1,309,000; 2010-11, £4,832,000; 2011-12, £1,952,000. These figures are available on the Gov.UK website.
	In addition to this, in 2009-10, DFID provided £2.8 million in humanitarian aid for North Korea through a core contribution to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This contribution was not earmarked for specific purposes. In 2007-08, DFID gave £649,422 in humanitarian assistance to North Korea, £500,000 of which was food aid for 215,000 people affected by floods.

Overseas Aid

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether UK Official Development Assistance budgets allocated to departments other than her Department are also bound by her Department's results framework.

Justine Greening: UK Official Development Assistance budgets allocated to Departments other than DFID are bound by the international rules governing Official Development Assistance from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and subject to review by the Independent Commission on Aid Impact.

Palestinians

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether funds from her Department to support education in the Gaza Strip (a) support or (b) are ring fenced from the Pioneers of Liberation programme for school-aged children run by the Gazan ministries for education and the interior.

Alan Duncan: The UK Government do not fund the Gazan ministries for education and the interior. DFID provides funding to the Palestinian Authority to pay civil servant salaries only. The process is independently audited to ensure that only named civil servants benefit.

Philippines

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian assistance her Department gives the Philippines to help prevent online sex abuse of Filipino children in poverty by paedophiles based in the UK.

Justine Greening: DFID humanitarian funding to the Philippines following the recent Typhoon Haiyan includes activities that aim to protect the most vulnerable people affected by this disaster from exploitation.
	The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre of the National Crime Agency (NCA) has recently conducted safeguarding training in the Philippines as part of the International Child Protection Network. The NCA has also taken major steps to disrupt online child sexual exploitation in the Philippines. Operation Endeavour, a joint investigation with the Australian Federal Police and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, resulted in 29 international arrests.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in her Department in each of the last three years.

Alan Duncan: The information is as follows:
	(a) DFID does not maintain central records for work experience of people aged 16 and under. Providing the details would incur disproportionate costs.
	(b) The following table shows the number of people over 16 years old who undertook work experience within DFID of two weeks or more on DFID’s graduate programme and the cross-Whitehall schemes.
	
		
			 Programme/Year DFID’s Graduate programme Summer internship Whitehall Internship two-week 
			 2011 Nil Nil 3 
			 2012 53 2 Nil 
			 2013 52 3 5